Moving On
by CammieAMorgan
Summary: MY FIRST NON-SPY STORY. Cammie is the new girl in town, she's come with a heavy heart and a brick wall built around her so high that she doesn't allow anyone to help her. But when she makes some new friends, and a certain Zachary Goode catches her eye. Will romance blossom or will her heartbreak be too much to bare?
1. Remember To Breathe

**MY FIRST NON-SPY STORY. Cammie is the new girl in town, she's come with a heavy heart and a brick wall built around her so high that she doesn't allow anyone to help her. But when she makes some new friends, and a certain Zachary Goode catches her eye. Will romance blossom or will her heartbreak be too much to bare?**

 **Chapter 1 - Remember To Breathe**

 **Cam POV**

I didn't want to move. I loved the life that I had; I loved the friends that I had, I loved my home. But last 6 months have been difficult; the friends I had stopped calling, the home I loved felt haunted and overall my life was falling apart.

Mom's life was exactly like mine, broken. I think that's why my aunt Abby came back from her job in Paris and suggested that we move from the bustling city of Washington D.C all the way to the quiet town of Roseville, Virginia.

At first I thought she was joking, and I laughed in her face. My mom however clung to the idea, she set the wheels in motion and the next thing I knew, I was packing up my life into cardboard boxes, getting in a car and leaving the ghosts behind me.

'This is a good thing, Kiddo' My mom patted my leg 'Abby's helped us find a fantastic house just a stone's throw away from town in one direction and then there are the woods which are about a half hour the other way'

'Great' I muttered still looking out the window. My mom sighed. I knew she wanted me to be supportive and positive, but there's only so much I can take at once.

'I'm very jealous of your new room. There's a huge bay window which would be absolutely perfect for reading at. Then we can paint your walls whatever colour you want, and I know you always wanted an exposed brick wall so if you wanted it, then I'm sure we could find a-'

'Mom, it's fine' I said quickly 'I'm sure that whatever _you and Abby_ decided will be just _perfect_ for _you and I_ ' My voice was dripping with sarcasm and a little bit of spite. Mom probably heard it, but chose to ignore it.

'You'll have fun here Cammie, we can go on little trips and-'

'Can we just drop it for now please?' I asked, more aggressive than I should have done.

'Okay' My mom said quietly.

I mentally punched myself, things between me and mom haven't been ideal since my dad died. Every time he went off on another tour with the army, me and mom took everyday as if he'd never left, things were normal and we had a routine.

One day, me and mom were eating chocolate chip pancakes, we were laughing about something and overall we were happy. Then there was a knock at the door. I answered it expecting to see the mailman or a delivery person, but there was just a man in uniform, he removed his hat so I could see his buzz cut.

'I'm sorry to bother you miss, but is your mom around?' He had a thick Southern accent.

'What's happened to my dad?' I asked, my body was already shaking. I knew why he was here. I knew in my heart that something wasn't right.

'Cammie, who's at th-' My mom came up next to me. She took a sharp intake of breath when she saw who it was. 'William, what are you doing here?' She asked, trying to put a smile on her face.

'I'm so sorry to be the one to tell you Rachel, but there was an accident and…'

At this point my mom gripped my shoulders tightly and I could feel her tears falling.

'I'm so sorry, Rachel' He whispered

'You said that already' I snapped.

'Cammie…' My mom whispered

'Is he alright? Is he injured? When is he coming back?'

'He's not coming back, Kiddo' My mom turned me to face her. Her eyes looked different, more lost. 'He's not coming back' And that's when we both collapsed into tears. I remember William stood there awkwardly, at some point he handed us Dad's hat and his dog tags. In that moment, nothing was the same again.

In the car right now, I place my hand on my neck and feel the metal there. A stark reminder that it's just me and mom.

'How about we have pizza tonight?' I suggested, trying to offer an olive branch. Mom smiled at me.

'Only if we get-'

'-extra cheesy garlic bread' We said at the same time. I gave a small smile. This won't be the easiest thing in world, but I need not take it all out on her. She's lost dad as well, and the last thing I want is for her to lose me too.

...

'Cammie, sweetie, wake up' My mom shook my arm slightly. I grumbled but opened my eyes slowly. 'We're here' She squealed excitedly. I sat up and looked out of the window. In Washington we lived in a townhouse where we had to climb the stairs and there was constant traffic going past. However, our new house was set back from the road by a small lawn. There was a small porch outside the house. There were green vines going up the side of the building. I glanced around and saw that most of the street was the same.

'What do you think?' She asked.

'It's different' I said honestly

'It sure is' Mom sighed 'It's as close to our style as possible, otherwise we would have ended up on the other side of town in a cottage with wooden beams and a charcoal fire' She gave a small shiver 'How Oliver Twist we would be' She winked. I chuckled lightly.

'Well, come on' She turned off the engine and opened her door. I followed and looked around. The air smelt different here - gone were the fumes of car exhaust systems and replaced with a sweet smell of pine trees. My mom made her way to the door and pulled out her keys.

'Abigail said that she'd bought some bits and pieces for us already' She rolled her eyes 'She said that the kitchen was all _her_ idea' I smiled. My mom was an average cook but she was no Gordan Ramsey. Abby has refused to try or trust any of my mom's food ever since a seafood incident a year ago. I shivered at the memory.

Rachel opened the door with a flourish. I stepped inside. The ground floor was pretty much opened planned with dark wooden floorboards running through the entire ground floor. At the far end of the house, the white marbled kitchen looked too precious to be real. I walked down and examined the fridge, I opened it and saw it was already stocked with food.

'Abby's really outdone herself' I whistled. There was no response. 'Mom?' I looked back to see her standing in the doorway still. 'Mom, are you okay?' I asked. She nodded and wiped a small tear from her eyes. I stood awkwardly, shifting my weight onto different feet.

'I'm fine honey' She waved her hand 'It's just…'

'I know' I choked out. We didn't have to say it, but we both knew. _We're doing this without Dad_. She cleared her throat.

'Why don't you go upstairs and check out your room?' She suggested. I nodded, wanting to get away from the crying before I joined in. I climbed the stairs and came to a small landing. There was a small bookshelf in one corner and four doors leading off of it. My room, Mom's room, the bathroom and a guest room. I took a guess and picked the door on the right. Immediately I could tell this was my room. The bay window like mom said earlier casted light across the room, there was a curved bench around it filled with plush cushions. There was a door on one side and it lead to a small cupboard which would probably be my wardrobe (or my panic room). All the walls were a pale grey/purple colour and one wall was dominated with white floating shelves. There was a small envelope on one of them.

 _For all your books and medals and goodness knows what other great things you'll achieve!_

 _Just remember to breathe._

 _Love you Squirt,_

 _Abby x_

I followed my aunt's orders and took a deep breath. Things need to get better. They just have to.

 **Author's note: IT feels like forever since I wrote a Gallagher Girl's story, and I can't wait to share with you what is happening with this story! As I'm starting University, this will be uploaded once a week! Find out more info on my page! See you all soon xxx**


	2. Embrace This Experience

**Cammie POV**

'CAMMIE' Mom called up the stairs 'Can you help me empty the car before the truck gets here?'

'Sure' I called back. I spun around my room thinking about how different it was to what I had in Washington. Back there I had a single bed and a small little desk and a pokey wardrobe with books literally _everywhere._ Now I'll have room to put all of my books. And I'd have _plenty_ of room for my bed, my desk and wardrobe. Maybe once I've settled in, I'll get new furniture. I checked my phone and saw no new messages. I frowned. My best friend Deedee promised to call me as soon as school finished and judging by the time, school would have finished over an hour ago. I decided to call her. It rang and rang and rang.

 _Hey you've reached Deedee! Sorry I'm not available right now but leave a message and I'll get back to you. Byyyyyyyyye._

'Hey Dee' I began 'Just to let you know I've arrived...house isn't as bad as I thought. Although I'm _not_ looking forward to school on Monday. Miss you loads. Speak soon'

'CAMERON ANN MORGAN, COME ON!' My mom called again. I made my way downstairs and outside. Most of the things in the car were bits from my room (literally I refused to believe we were moving until the very last minute) and some breakable things.

...

For the next half hour we were bringing boxes into the house and beginning to unpack them, I was putting all of my books on the shelf when the truck pulled up. I made my way back down stairs. Mom was talking to the removal guy going through a list of things. I hovered back, sitting on the porch step. There was another car coming down the street; it turned into the drive next door. I tried not to look over, but they two males in the car were arguing so loudly, it was impossible not to notice. The boy got out of the car and slammed his door. The dad followed.

'Zachary, don't throw away an opportunity to do something good!'

'This is not your decision' The boy replied. He marched away from the car and towards the house. He glanced at me along the way 'What are you looking at?' He asked.

'I...I…' I floundered for words. The boy laughed loudly and shook his head. He stormed into the house and slammed the door with a thud. He didn't look back.

'I'm sorry about my son' The man said.

'It's okay' I shrugged 'I'm used to it back home'

'Where have you moved from?'

'D.C.'

'Really? What's brought you to our little neck of the woods?' He leant against the fence. I glanced at mom who was biting her lip and focusing on the list in her hands.

'A fresh start' I said honestly. The man nodded.

'I understand, when I got divorced, Zach and I both decided we needed a clean slate' He gestured around him 'No better place than Roseville, I can tell you that'

'Thanks' I smiled.

'Oh where are my manners? I'm Edward and that was my son Zach. And you are?'

'Cameron, but everyone calls me Cammie' In my old school, _Gallagher Academy_ , we had edicate classes, therefore I remembered that upon introduction, it is polite to shake hands. I produced my hand and Edward shook it.

'Pleasure to meet you Camero- I mean Cammie' He smiled. 'Would you like some help moving in?'

'Oh um…'

'Hey Kiddo' My mom came up next to me 'Looks like your Aunt had a little fun with your furniture. And by fun I mean _bought you new furniture_ '

'Really?' I raised my eyebrow. Mom nodded.

'I don't know whether I should hug her or kill her' She whispered. I chuckled. Then I remembered that someone else was watching.

'Mom, this is Edward, our neighbour' I introduced them.

'Hiya, I'm Rachel' My mom shook his hand

'Pleasure to meet you' Edward smiled 'I just offered your daughter my assistance, and I'm sure I could rangle my son into helping as well'

'Oh that would be so helpful' My mom glanced at the removal men 'I don't think they want to stick around for long so we should get started'

'I'll just get changed into something more appropriate' Edward gestured to his suit attire. 'Just pulled a shift at the hospital' As he disappeared I made my way over to the van and unloaded some of the boxes that were labelled _Attic_. I moved steadily up the driveway, very aware that mom's wedding china was in here. There were just some things that you can't let go of but rather bury close by.

...

Edward's son didn't materialise to help us. Apparently he had training to do.

'He's on the football team' Edward informed me 'Do you play any sports, Cammie?'

'Track and archery'

'Archery?' He raised his eyebrow 'Didn't realise that was popular in D.C'

'My dad used to take me' This was the first time that he was mentioned in this house, and I felt dirty almost. We'd moved to get away to move on with our lives; and mom & I came to an agreement that to start afresh we needed to not mention dad so much. Now I just hope that Edward doesn't ask questions and I don't open a can of worms.

'Well, you never know when that skill might come in handy' He gave me a small smile and I reckon that he sensed my discomfort but didn't prie further.

'Do you know where the best pizza place around here is?' I asked changing the subject.

' _Georgio's_ ' Edward answered immediately 'Hands down _the best_ pizza you will ever taste in your life'

'Great!' My mom came back into the kitchen where me and Edward were standing 'Cammie, I'll run you into town and you can hop out to order it'

'Sound good'

'Did you need me for anything else?' Edward asked

'Hm…' My mom spun around and studied the space. The sofas, TV, rug and coffee table were all placed how mom wanted it and the only boxes left were just odd bits and pieces. 'I don't think there is. The cable guy's coming tomorrow to install the Wifi, other than that I think we're settled' She smiled proudly at me. My heart dropped slightly. We were settled. There was no turning back now.

'Well, if there is anything you need, don't be afraid to give me a shout. Goodbye ladies, it was a pleasure to meet you' He gave a small salute (trying to be friendly) and my heart dropped further. I could see my mom tense up slightly, and plaster a fake smile on her face.

She showed our guest out.

'Cam-'

'I'm just going to grab my jacket and then we can get food. Okay?'

'Sure sweetie' She sighed, knowing that whatever she was going to say would just have to be saved for another time.

I ran up the stairs and studied my room. Abby had bought me a white double bed with matching bedside tables and side cabinet. I guess Abby took this whole 'fresh new start' thing quite literally.

I dove in one of the boxes hoping that my denim jacket was in here. It took me several attempts before I found it. I was making my way downstairs but stopped when I heard my mom on the phone to Abby.

'Cammie seems better than this morning. I think the new furniture has had a big impact... No, not yet. Well, it's only day one... I forgot how beautiful this place was Abs, much calmer than D.C. I just hope that we can both move on from Matthew and what happened after'

I hated listening in on Mom's conversations, especially when they were about me or dad. I stepped heavily on the stair, purposely making as much noise as possible. Mom went quiet for a second.

'We're just going to grab a bite to eat. I'll speak later. Love you sis' By the time I reached the bottom stair, she'd hung up. Mom smiled brightly.

'I phoned ahead at Georgio's and our pizza should be ready'

'Why didn't you just get it delivered?' I asked. She shrugged.

'I thought you might like to see a little bit of the town considering that your school isn't too far from it' I rolled my eyes.

'Okay. Fine'

As we drove into town, I realised how different it was to D.C. For starters there were kids actually playing in the street, and there were more green spaces than I'd ever seen. There also weren't many surveillance cameras as in the capital.

'Everyone knows everyone here, Cam' Mom said as if reading my thoughts 'People trust one another'

'Good for them' I muttered

'Cammie' She sighed 'You need to try and embrace this experience'

'Well, it's only day one' I said brightly, mimicking her tone from earlier. She glared at me but didn't say anything. Soon we approached the centre of town. It was almost like an oval shape, there was a massive open green space in the middle with an old fashioned gazebo in the heart of it. Shops lined the outside, and tucked in one corner was _Georgio's_.

'I'll just park up here and wait' She said 'Here should be enough to cover it' She handed me a $10 bill.

'Sure' I gave a small smile and then leapt out of the car. The air was starting to turn chilly. The sky was darkening in a flurry of blues and purples. This caused _Georgio's_ to stand out like a beckon.

From the outside, I could already hear the music blasting from inside. The pizza places at home were nothing like this, they were greasy, dingy and all around dodgy. This one felt like a hub or a salvation for a small town like this. I stepped inside. There was lots of Italian curse words being strung through the air. I couldn't help but smile; one of the good things that Gallagher taught me was several languages. Considering that we were based in D.C, the school hoped that somehow we'd work in some sort of Global affairs.

I made my way to the desk where an older man was preparing the dough for another pizza. He smiled sweetly.

'What can I get you?'

'Um...I'm here to pick up an order for…' I realised that I never asked Mom what name she left the order under.

'Morgan?' someone said my name from behind 'Cammie Morgan?' I spun around and saw someone I never expected to see.

'Macey McHenry?' I gasped

'Oh my goodness!' She pulled me into a hug 'I haven't seen you in ages! When did we last meet?'

'Um...the funeral I guess' I said quietly. Macey pulled back, the smile from her face disappeared.

'Oh Cammie. I'm so sorry'

'It's fine, I've kind of been...occupied...recently' I shifted awkwardly from foot to foot.

'That's good' She nodded

'How's your family?'

She rolled her eyes 'Ever since Dad stopped running for office it's been weird and he just seems to be trying _every_ career you could think of; so far he's looking at the entertainment industry. Mom's still in her beauty business. What about your mom, how's she doing?'

'She's good' I replied. Macey could tell that there was something I wasn't telling her, but she decided to ignore it.

'How is Abby?'

'Busy. She went back to Europe not long ago'

'Aw I miss Europe. I want to go back there! Anyway, what are you doing here instead of D.C?'

'I've um...moved here'

'Really?' Macey's eyes widened

'Yeah' I pushed a stray bit of hair behind my ear. 'A fresh start I suppose'

'Hey McHenry, what's taking you so long?' Someone else asked. I glanced behind Macey to see the boy from earlier coming forward, a smirk on his face. His eyes were a bright green, striking even. His hair was dark and combed effortlessly. He looked casual in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

'I'm just talking, _Goode,_ let me finish' She snapped. He turned to look at me and his smirk vanished. I felt myself going red.

'Excuse me miss, but your order's ready' I jumped at the voice behind me. The guy Macey was talking to, Zach I think, had a small smirk tugging on the corner of his mouth.

'Um..thanks' I took the two boxes of pizza and paid. 'It was really nice seeing you again, Macey' I said

'Ditto Cam! Hey, are you starting at Roseville High?' She asked. I nodded. 'Oh that'll be so good! I'll introduce you to everyone and show you round'

'Thanks Macey' I was really touched that she was looking out for me. We'd known each other for about 18 months now. Her dad decided to run for Governor and one of his main focuses was on our service men and women. Macey and I had met on several occasions and struck up an unlikely friendship. In fact, she was one of the only people who helped me after my dad died. I stood there awkwardly with Macey and Zach.

'Um...I guess I should be going' I gestured to the pizzas 'Mom's probably waiting'

'Of course' Macey gave me a hug (well as much of a hug as she could considering I was juggling two massive boxes of pizza) 'I'll text you later, okay?'

'Okay' I smiled. I began to move away but glanced back a Zach quickly. 'Bye' I muttered before hurrying out of the door.

I walked along the street thinking about whether or not I should thank my lucky stars or curse them for bringing Macey back into my life.

'Hey, um, wait' I spun around and saw Zach jogging to catch up with me. 'Look, I'm sorry about what happened earlier...I was just having an argument with my dad and I took it out on you...sorry'

'It's fine'

'I should have helped you move in. I guess I didn't give the best first impression' He chuckled lightly.

'It's fine, honestly' I took a step back 'I need to get going though' I gestured to the pizzas. He nodded.

'Sure. No worries' He smirked a little

'What?' I asked

'Well, it's just that since you know Macey, I guess we'll be getting to know each other a little more'

'I guess' I shrugged. He furrowed his eyebrows for a moment as if trying to figure me out.

'You don't say a lot, do you?'

'Only when there's something interesting to be said' I pointed out. He chuckled.

'I'm Zach by the way'

'Cammie'

'Nice to meet you, Cammie' He offered me his hand to shake. I stared at it, looked at the pizzas and then looked back at him.

'Seriously?' I don't know if he was being gentlemanly or if he was just being obnoxious. He furrowed his brow in confusion again, then slowly the penny dropped.

'Oh shit, sorry' He withdrew his hand 'Enjoy the pizza' He nodded at me.

'Thanks...um...you too?' He laughed lightly and turned away. I turned again and walked towards the car, just before I sunk on to the leather seat, I turned around. My eyes connected with his. I guess he turned around as well.

 **Author's note: Thank you all for your support on this story, I'm excited to share this with you. Please bare with me with the schedule, I had my first day at university today and I'm just getting used to everything. I cannot promise when exactly this will be uploaded, but it should be no more that once every 2-3 weeks. Thank you all again, and I shall see you next time xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRow: Thank you! There won't be a proper upload schedule for October whilst I'm still getting into a routine, but once it is established, then I'll let you know xxx**

 **Gymnast1150: AHHHHHHHHH Thank you so much! I'm glad that you're reading this, I miss having conversations with you about our stories (I'm still waiting for you to upload btw ;P). Matthew's death has really affected Cam in this story, more so than my other stories. It will go DEEP, potentially this is my darkest story that I've done as well...Aw thank you very much! Zach will be a very important person for Cam, although not everyone will agree. Today was really good, I met some very interesting people. I promise that I'll keep you updated xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: Aww bless ya! I wasn't actually going to upload this story until probably Christmas/New Year, but I've missed writing and uploaded Gallagher Girl stories. I've started the next in the Soul series but I've got a lot on my plate right now...it looks like it won't be uploaded till Easter, so be patient and stay tuned! Thank you so much! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Aww thank you! I'm excited for the challenge of _not_ writing a spy story xxx**

 **4EverAGallagherGirl: Thank you! I've got lots of ideas. There will be Josh, DeeDee and Dilian as well as Joe and Tina xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Being the new kid sucks, for me I feel like there's so many unwritten expectations that somebody new must have. Cammie may be broken, but she sure isn't giving up...let's just hope her secrets _stay_ secret xxx**

 **AllyCarterFan: OMG I have not spoken to you in AGES! I have missed you so much, you have no idea! Hope you are well and hope everything in life is being kind to you! I've missed you too! I know! I can't believe that I've been writing stories for 2 and a half years (which means I've known you for 2 and a half years! Crazy!) What are you studying for uni? It looks like it won't be _every_ week uploads, it'll probably be once every 2-3 weeks. Thank you so much! PLLLLLLLLLLLEASE SET UP AN ACCOUNT! xxx**


	3. Extra Chocolate Sauce

**Cammie POV**

It's been a week since we moved to Roseville, and within that time I'd managed to open all of my boxes (and proceeded to just leave them where they were); Macey had phoned and come round 4 times and everytime she forced me to unpack at least one box. She also gave me a bunch of information about Roseville in preparation; she also nominated herself to be my guide. Abby phoned twice, we chatted for a little while about odd bits and pieces, but nothing anywhere near our juicy gossip sessions that we do face to face. I'd been avoiding spending too much alone time with mom, I was worried what would be said when we actually _did_ spend time together. And despite living next door to him, I hadn't seen Zach once.

The blaring of my alarm woke me up on Monday morning.

'CAMMIE COME ON' My mom banged on my door a few times. Begrudgingly I woke up. I moved across the hall into the bathroom and turned the shower on. Back in D.C. I used to get up at the crack of dawn and go out for a run whilst mom got up and made breakfast. Then after Dad died, neither myself or mom could get out of bed.

'Cam, do you need a lift to school?' She asked when I came downstairs.

'No thanks. Macey said that she'll take me'

'That's nice' Mom took a sip of her coffee.

'Yep' I took a sip of mine.

There was a moment of silence that passed between us. I could tell that mom wanted to say something, and I could also tell that she could sense how much I _didn't_ want her so say anything. Then there was a knock at the door.

'That'll be Macey' I finished my pancake off and grabbed my bag.

'Hi Cammie' She smiled when I opened the door 'Hi Miss Morgan'

'Hello Macey! How are you?' My mom said pulling her into a hug.

'Good, thanks. I'm looking forward to being Cam's guide today' She smiled at me wickedly.

'What time will you be back, kiddo?' Mom asked me.

'I don't know' I shrugged 'I have keys so I can let myself back in'

'Cammie…' She sighed

'Look, I'm going to be late. I'll see you later, okay?'

'Okay' She gave me a fixed smile 'Have a good day, kiddo'

'Thanks. Bye' I shut the door behind me. Macey's lips were drawn in a thin line, from previous experiences, this was when she was holding her tongue.

'What?' I whirled on her once we were in her car

'Nothing' She shrugged in a high pitched voice.

' _Macey_ '

'It's just...It's just that you and your mom seem…' She left the sentence hanging

'I know' I groaned 'I've been avoiding talking to her'

'Why? You two used to be super close'

'That was before dad and _the other thing_...he was like the glue that kept us together' I shook my head 'I don't really know, I guess I'm worried about what we'll talk about'

'What do you mean?'

'She was on the phone to Abby the other night and said; _I just hope that we can both move on from Matthew_...I don't think I can move on as quickly as she wants me to'

'I don't think she wants you to _move on_ as in forgetting him, but I think she wants you to not let his passing affect how you live your life'

'But packing up everything and moving seemed to have had a _massive_ impact on my life'

'Fair point'

'Mace…' I began

'Yeah?'

'Can you not mention about my dad please? I know being the new girl is going to be tough but the last thing I want is to be the sad, lonely, fatherless new girl'

'I would never Cam!' Macey sounded genuinely hurt 'It's your secret to tell'

'Thank you Macey' I squeezed her hand

'Although, those dog tags may give it away'

My hand rested on the chain. I fiddled with it for a moment. Like Macey said, it's my secret to tell, perhaps no one would notice them, or perhaps people might think it's a fashion statement, but one thing's for sure, I will not lie.

The rest of the car journey went smoothly, we listened to the radio and sung along to some cheesy pop songs and the next thing I knew, we were pulling up into school.

'Wow' I stared at the stream of kids making their way into school.

'Way different from D.C. isn't it'

'Yep' I gave an unsteady breath.

'Hey' Macey squeezed my arm 'You're not entirely the new girl, at least you've got me'

As soon as I stepped out of the car, I could feel the eyes being drawn to me and the whispers that followed. I took a deep breath and followed Macey through the school.

'I'll take you to the office, they should have your schedule'

She began to point out the various classes and students, telling me all about the different groups who hung out together.

'Are you going to try out for the track team?' She asked

'I don't think so'

'Oh come on! I still remember how you _left_ me during the marine's fun run and ended up coming 5th'

'There was only 30 of us and you refused to run!'

'Well, my participation medal tells a different story' We burst out laughing. I definitely need to thank my lucky stars for bringing Macey into my life.

'But seriously, you need to try out for track' She folded her arms 'I'm not taking no for an answer Morgan, and you _know_ how badly I take no'

'Jez Macey, give the girl room to breathe' A british girl slid next to her. She smiled at me 'I'm Bex' She produced her hand for me to shake 'And you must be Cammie, right?' I nodded 'Macey was telling me _all_ about you last night'

'Oh?' I raised my eyebrow at Macey

'Yeah, she told me that you've moved into town recently with your mom from D.C. I like the capital, _love_ the museums'

'So do I' Another voice said. I turned to see Zach joining in 'I love the Ruby Slipper exhibit' He turned to me 'I'm a sucker for _The Wizard of Oz_ '

'Me too' I said. Zach smiled a little. I felt my cheeks darkening

'Is Macey your tour guide?' Bex asked

'Um…'

'Of course I am' Macey flicked her hair 'I mean who else is better to show her around the school'

The bell rung.

'Looks like you're going to be late on your first day' Zach adjusted his backpack strap. 'See you girls later' He said to all of us, his gaze lingered on me for a moment longer before leaving.

'I'm going to head to home room, but it's lovely to meet you!' Bex disappeared down the corridor.

Macey took me to the office where they issued me with several pieces of paper (which will be lost within a day). The receptionist instructed Macey _exactly_ what needed to be done.

'You'll also have to register with Mr Solomon at some point today' She told me over her thick rimmed glasses

'Who is he?' I asked

'The guidance counselor' She looked at her notes 'Your mother requested you have meetings with him' I opened and shut my mouth feeling my blood boil. _How could my mom do this to me? Does she really want me to look like the new girl who already has issues?_

'Thank you' I muttered, gathering the bits of paper and then exiting. Macey stood outside the door chewing gum.

'Have you got everything?'

'I think so' I tried to organise the papers with little success.

'Do you know where you are for home room?' She asked

'Um...F14' I read. Macey gave a small cheer.

'That's my home room with Zach, my friends Liz and Grant' Macey looped her arm through mine 'I can just tell you're going to like it here'

'I hope so' I tried to match her enthusiasm but probably sounded pathetic and snarky.

...

When we entered F14, everyone was chatting amongst themselves, the teacher was grading papers and seemed oblivious to the noise of the classroom. Macey cleared her throat and he looked up

'Sir, this is Cammie'

'Ah, the Morgan girl' He replied drying. I narrowed my eyes at him. 'Take a seat' He waved us both away

'That was weird' Macey muttered. I nodded in agreement. I followed Macey to the back of the classroom where there were a few vacant seats. Macey slid into one and pointed to the chair behind her for me to sit in.

'Guys, this is my friend Cammie, she's new' Macey announced to the small group around us. I've always been envious of Macey's confidence, she could walk into any room and know exactly how to act and what to say. A skill I am yet to master.

The petite blonde that sat next to Macey looked up from her textbook and studied me.

'Hi, I'm Elizabeth Sutton, but everyone calls me Liz'

'I'm Cammie' I smiled back. On the other side of Macey was a well built boy, he clearly was a football player. He turned around and smiled.

'I'm Grant, the resident _Greek God_ '

'Nice to meet you' I smiled back.

'And lastly' Macey sighed dramatically and gestured to the boy sitting next to me 'This idiot is Zachary Goode'

'She knows' Zach smirked at me. My cheeks darkened. _Curse this boy and his damn smirk!_

'You know each other?' Grant looked between us two. Zach shrugged

'She's my neighbour' He said casually

'So then how do you know Macey?' Liz asked. I looked at Macey.

'Cammie's family was involved in my dad's campaign trail' She said without missing a beat 'Out of all those events and rallies, Cammie was the only interesting thing in the room' She smiled at me wickedly 'Although we _did_ have an interesting time in Boston'

My eyes widened and I tried not to laugh

'Why, what happened in Boston?' Grant asked.

'We were meant to be doing a press conference, but somehow we ended up on the roof!' Macey laughed 'We were stuck up there for 2 hours until Ca-' Macey cut the story off abruptly. I stopped laughing too.

'Until what?' someone asked

'Until my dad rescued us' I said. 'He broke down the reinforced door, dislocated his shoulder in the process' I gave a weak laugh. Macey smiled.

'He insisted on buying us ice creams before seeking medical attention' She added

'Do you remember what he said?' I asked. Her eyes lit up

' _Girls, if I pass out, make sure they put extra chocolate sauce on mine_ ' We said together, then proceeded to burst out with laughter.

'Your dad sounds awesome' Grant said before turning around. Everyone else turned round too. I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, not sure if it was from laugher or sadness...I hoped that no one saw, but out of the corner of my vision, I could tell that a pair of green eyes were on me...and he most definitely saw.

 **Author's note: First of all, I'd like to say a massive thank you to everyone who as read this story and commented. I was worried because this is something completely out of my usual style, but I'm glad that you are enjoying it so far. I know I said that it might be a couple of weeks, but I wanted to do it now! What do you think about Cammie's first day at school? Will she keep her cards close to her chest, or will someone cause her cracks to show? Find out next time! xxx**

 **Guest: There will be a lot more information about Macey, Bex, Zach and the others coming soon. Thank you so much! xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: Cammie will have to face her demons soon enough, and it may be a little easier with Macey by her side...but will Cammie ruin the friendship before that? xxx**

 **LLLSSSBBB964: Thank you so much! xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: Aw thank you! I do prefer spy stories as well but this was something I always wanted to do. Thank you for your support xxx**

 **gymnast1150: Zach is not the typical Zach that I've written about. I know what you mean. I don't really like the 'love at first sight' when they just instantly want to kiss and make babies. I'm glad you're looking forward to what's to come. Aw I'm so pleased that you're enjoying this! I will definitely tell you all of my stories from uni! I can't wait for a proper catch up with you! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Aw thank you so much! Zammie for me never has the easiest starts, and neither will this one. I don't want to say exactly which Uni I'm attending but it's one in London xxx**

 **Dreamer0704: Thank you! I don't have a specific schedule, it will definitely be weekends but maybe every two to three weeks. Check on my page for any updates xxx**

 **LightningStrike: Aw thank you so much! I'm glad that you are as excited for this story as I am! I'm working on getting a schedule sorted properly within this next month or two xxx**

 **AllyCarterFan: It's been a while since I wrote GG fanfic as well so I've felt distant from the community in a way. I don't have much free time either, being back in education after a year off is tricky to adjust to (especially the early mornings). I can't imagine what would have happened if you never clicked on my story (you're one of my favourite reviewers). I'm studying Film Production. Loving it so far. I will try not to make it every two months, I'm going to try and do it at least twice a month (depending on my schedule). I CANNOT WAIT FOR YOU TO CREATE A PROFILE! xxx**


	4. No Turning Back

**Cam POV**

The rest of the day seemed to go like a blur. I had most of my lessons with Macey and it meant that at lunch I didn't have to sit on my own.

'What do you have next Cam?' she asked

'Athletics for the rest of the day'

'Sweet, you'll be with me' Bex dropped a tomato into her mouth 'Drama queen over here doesn't like getting sweaty so she either pulls out _sick_ or she goes into the library to watch Netflix'

'That's not true!' Macey faked being hurt 'I just have more important things to worry about than _how fast can I run around the field_ '

'You didn't care about how fast you had to run when there was a Prada sale' I raised my eyebrow at her playfully. Macey glared at me.

'That was a one-time thing!'

'You nearly pulled my arm out of its socket!' I exclaimed

'But I got that pair of shoes _and_ the matching clutch, so _ha_ ' She stuck her tongue out at me.

'Wow, remind me never to shopping with Macey' Grant shivered.

'I wouldn't invite you anyway' She scoffed.

'Hey guys' Another boy joined the table sitting next to Grant 'Sorry, I had to finish a report for Dr Fibbs. Apparently, I'm a couple of credit points away from being nominated for the young scientist award'

'That's amazing Jonas!' Liz exclaimed

'What's your report on?' Grant asked

'It's a hypothesis for a renewable engine that could potentially be used in cars in the future. But I'm struggling to try and make it quieter especially in smaller towns'

'Have you considered changing the valves to be made out of syndicate? I know it'll make the engine a little heavier but it should improve the overall sound, plus the heat it generates could be pushed back into the heating system or cooled for the air conditioning' I suggested. Everyone on the table turned to look at me in confusion and surprise. Zach (who was at the furthest end of the table) smirked at me.

'Sorry, I'm a bit of a grease monkey' I pushed hair behind my ear.

'That's cool. Did your dad teach you that as well?' Liz asked.

'Uh, yeah. We used to spend weekends repairing all these bikes and cars' I twiddled with my thumbs

'Wait, who is she?' Jonas asked. Liz rolled her eyes.

'This is Cammie, she's new' She told him

'Let me get this straight. You're the new girl who already knows Macey, you're also an apparent track star _and_ a Greasemonkey!' Grant studied me carefully 'What are you hiding?'

I dropped my jaw open. Macey nearly choked on her drink. Zach's jaw tensed.

'Leave it Newman' Bex threw a tomato at him. She turned to me 'Accept my apologies on behalf of my dim-witted friend' She rolled her eyes 'Grant isn't really subtle'

'Sorry Cam' He said bashfully 'I didn't mean to be rude'

'That's fine, no worries' I muttered.

'Why don't you tell us about yourself?' Bex suggested. I know she was trying to be a good friend and that this would be a way to get to know me but I couldn't help but feel nervous.

'What do you want to know?' I asked

'What school did you go to?'

'I went to Gallagher Academy, it was a sports specialised school' I took a sip of my drink 'I was on the track and archery team'

'Archery?' Bex raised her eyebrows

'Yeah' I felt the blush creeping up my face 'We were _really_ specialised'

'The school has a reputation for creating elite individuals' Macey added 'Cam was up for the Washington county cross-country team'

'Macey…' I hissed. I know that she was being nice, but I didn't want to seem like a freak to everyone.

'I think it's cool' Zach said standing up 'It means that I'll have someone else to overtake' he winked at me again 'I'll see you on the track _Gallagher Girl_ '

Before I could respond, the bell rung.

'After school, we're all hanging out at my house, you can join if you want?' Bex offered as we walked towards the locker rooms. 'I can give you a ride' She added after sensing my hesitation.

'I need to see Mr Solomon after school'

'Solomon is an amazing counsellor. He really helped me when I moved 3 years ago'

'I don't actually know why I'm going to see him. My mom just put me in for it'

'I know what you mean, I didn't really want to see him but my mom forced me to' She shrugged 'Overall it was surprising. Honestly, he helped me on things I never really considered. Just stay open minded I guess'

'Thanks, I think I will'

...

Athletics was amazing. The coach was very interested to learn about Gallagher and my part on the track team. We then worked on doing sprints (which is _not_ what I'm good at). After practice, as I was tying my laces, a shadow fell over me. I looked up to see a girl wearing a pair of very expensive earrings standing over me.

'Hi' She smiled widely 'I don't think we've met each other yet' She shoved her hand in my face 'I'm Tina. Tina Walters'

'Cammie' I shook her hand. Tina's wide smile widened even further. She then plopped herself on the bench next to me.

'So, you're friends with Macey McHenry aren't you?'

'Yeah…' I was very sceptical of her over friendly tone. She reminded me of a girl in my old school, that girl was a bitch.

'You need to be aware of all of them' She lowered her voice, hoping that no one overheard 'Liz and Jonas may look the smartest, Grant may look the most honest, Bex may seem the most reliable, Zach appears to be the most trustworthy and Macey appears the most confident. But don't for a _second_ think that you're safe. At any opportunity, they will stab you in the back'

'And how would you know this?' I tilted my head. She shrugged

'Experience'

'Thanks for the advice, buuuut I like to judge people on their own merits' I stood up 'I'll see you around Tina'

Bex was waiting for me outside the locker rooms.

'What took you so long?' She asked

'I met Tina' That seemed to be enough of an answer as Bex then rolled her eyes in response.

'Queen Bee doesn't like fresh meat, _especially_ a girl who turns the head of the football team'

'I don't think I did' I moved a piece of hair out of my face

'Oh come on!' Bex rolled her eyes again 'You should have seen the look on their faces! I mean half of the team couldn't focus on their training. And Zach…' She shook her head

'What about Zach?'

'It's stupid, don't worry' She waved it away. I decided to put a pin into our conversation...but I will bring her up on it later. 'I'll take you to Solomon's office. Then after you're finished, one of us will be in the parking lot waiting for you'

'Thanks Bex'

Bex took me to a room that had _Mr Solomon_ embossed on the door.

'Good luck' She gave me a small hug before walking away. I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

'Come in' He called. I opened the door and stood there in shock when I saw who it was.

'Joe?' My voice was scratchy. He remained in his seat, but leant back and smiled at me.

'It's good to see you again, Cameron'

'What...what are you doing here?'

'I work here' He gestured around him. I rolled my eyes

'I know that now' I snapped 'Why am _I_ here then?'

'Your mom and aunt feel like you've changed since Matthew died and they're worried about you'

'They shouldn't be discussing my business with _you_ ' I gritted my teeth. Joe shook his head

'They're worried. And so am I' His eyes were hard and they zoned in on me. The look he gave me made me feel like a child again.

'I'm fine' I muttered. He raised his hands up in defeat.

'Believe that if you want, but I know you can't lie to me Camster' The use of my old nickname made me tense.

'So what? Do I have to come and have therapy sessions with you? Share my feelings and then you report it back to mom?' I scoffed 'No thanks'

'No, you don't have to, but I'd like you to. My door is always open _and_ you have my number. Day or night you could talk to me if you need to'

'I'll think about it' I said bluntly. I turned around and was ready to leave

'Oh and Cam' He said. I stopped and turned around 'I'm glad you're wearing his tags' He nodded to my necklace. I placed my hand on them, feeling the tears brim.

'Bye' I muttered and left his office. As I hurried out of the school, all I could think about was the fact that Joe Solomon, _my dad's best friend_ , was working at my new school and that Joe Solomon, _my godfather,_ hadn't spoken to me in months and who didn't come to my father's funeral.

I made my way across the parking lot looking for Bex, Macey and the others. There was a car horn that made me jump, soon after Macey rolled up in her car with Jonas in the front and Zach in the back; I dived into the seat next to him.

'You were quick. How was it?' Macey asked

'Fine' I muttered turning away and looking out of the window. Everyone in the car was aware that I was on the verge of tears, but no one mentioned anything.

'Are you coming to Bex's or do you want me to take you home?' Macey asked softly.

'Let's go to Bex's, I don't want to go home yet' My eyes connected with Macey's in the mirror. She studied my face and then nodded. We left school.

When we arrived at Bex's house, everyone else was already there. I climbed out of the car and was immediately pulled to the side by Macey.

'We'll catch you up!' She called to the boys. Zach hovered back for a moment but then followed Jonas inside. Macey waited until we were alone before whirling on me. 'What happened with Mr Solomon?' She asked

'Nothing'

'Cam' She gritted her teeth 'You were almost crying'

'You know how I mentioned my dad's best friend a few times, you know, the one who wasn't there at the funeral?'

'Yeah?'

'Well, that's Mr Solomon'

Macey blinked a few times as she processed everything.

'Oh'

'Yep' I popped the p 'And my mom has apparently spoken to him about how _worried_ she is about me'

'So whilst your mom watches you at home-'

'Then Joe watches me at school' I finished for her, sighing in the process.

'I'm sorry Cam'

'Yeah, me too'

A moment of silence passed between us.

'Why don't we head inside and relax for a bit. The second you want to leave, just let me know'

We made our way inside. Bex's house was built very similarly to my new house. She had a large open planned living space, but the kitchen was blocked off to become its own separate room.

'Hey, you made it!' Bex emerged from the kitchen carrying a massive bowl of popcorn 'We're all downstairs' I followed Macey's lead as we made our way into the basement. The room was decked out with a large T.V, a couple of sofas, some beanbags, a pool table and a darts board.

'Wow' I muttered

'Perks of being an only child' Bex said proudly 'Dad has his man cave in the garage, mom has her summer house in the garden, and _I_ get the basement'

'This is really cool'

'Thanks' She turned to the others 'Guys, what are we going to watch?'

'Don't care. Me and Zach are going to play some pool, I need a rematch for last time' Grant said

'As long as it's not a horror film, I really don't care' Liz said

'How about action?' Macey suggested

'Cam, what do you think?' Bex asked

'Action sounds good' I agreed.

'That settles it' She clasped her hands 'Cam, you can help yourself to anything. Bathroom's up the stairs and to the left, the kitchen should be easy to find'

'Thanks. I'm just going to get a drink' I made my way back up the stairs and into the kitchen. I opened the fridge and looked at the various drink options. I decided to settle for the last can of coke. I closed the fridge door and gave a little yelp as Zach was standing right behind me.

'Sorry I didn't mean to scare you' He smirked

'It's fine' I muttered trying to move past him, but Zach grabbed my arm lightly.

'Are you okay?' He asked sincerely, his hand felt warm against my skin.

'I'm fine'

'Really? Because it looked like you wanted to cry and McHenry seemed worried'

'I'm fine' I insisted

'Is it about your dad?' His question threw me off. My jaw went slack 'It's just that everytime he gets mentioned you seem to tense'

'Oh' Was all I could say

'He's an army man isn't he?'

'How did you-'

'Your tags' He pointed to them 'They're distinct'

'Oh,' Words seemed to have escaped me.

'I can't imagine what it must be like for you to have to move whilst he's off somewhere, do you know when he'll be joining you here?'

'He won't be joining us'

'Oh. Are your parents divorced? Don't worry, I've been through this with my folks and let me tell y-'

'He's dead' I cut him off. Zach dropped his hand from my arm. I don't know why I chose to tell Zach this, it might be because I wanted to shut him up, or it might have been something else, but all I know is that I've said it, and I can't take it back.

'I'm sorry' Zach's voice was soft yet full of sorrow. I shook my head and plastered a fake smile on my face

'It's fine. My mom and I came here for a fresh start and that's what I want'

'Are you sure that's what you want?' He raised his eyebrow at me, clearly not believing the lie I just told.

'No' I said honestly 'That's not what I want, but heck, I'm here and there's no turning back' I moved passed him. 'And I've heard that Roseville is just _perfect_ for people wanting to move on'

 **Author's note: Hello everyone! Thank you for all your feedback and for bearing with me whilst I got a schedule sorted. Thank you always! I'm glad that you are enjoying this story so far. WE HAD OUR FIRST GALLAGHER GIRL FROM ZACH! What do you think about Joe? I know that it does seem strange that Cammie didn't remember him but they haven't been in contact for a few years and this would have been the last place Cam would have imagined him being. Joe will be a key part of Cammie's sanity whilst she's in Roseville, and will be there to help her when things take quite a drastic turn...same goes for a certain Zachary Goode...the only problem is if Cammie will let them into her secrets, or will she just keep shutting them out? Check out my profile for the next upload date xxx**

 **Herseylife: Aw thank you so much! Glad that you love this story. Check out my others (most of them are series) on my profile. xxx**

 **Gymnast1150: I agree, I found that Macey and Cammie's friendship was shown way more than Cammie's relationship with Bex or Liz especially because of** _Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover_ **with Boston. I would love to do a story more based on their friendships, but I'm an old romantic at heart and Zach is just...well Zach. Aw thank you! Zammie action will come soon, but will he treat her differently now that he knows about her Dad? Aw, cheers mate! I'm just glad that with the feedback, I know that I'm writing an engaging and interesting story rather than it being one dimensional. I love your long reviews, they are the highlight of my day no matter when/what you're posting on xxx**

 **Smiles180: Aw thank you! This version of Cammie will be the most reserved Cammie that I've written about, she's been hurt so many times that she's now protecting herself against everyone, and when emotions get involved, she's going to back away and distance herself from them and from everyone around her. Glad that you are enjoying this story! xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: I do wish that Ally Carter wrote more moments or flashback moments between Cammie and her dad, I desperately want to know the kind of person he was. Thank you so much! I'm glad that you are enjoying this as much as I am! xxx**

 **Dreamer0704: I've missed writing Gallagher Girl stories too! Aww thank you! I'm looking forward to adding more Zach into this story as well ;) xxx**

 **4EverAGallagherGirl: I agree, Zach is very good at reading Cammie at all times. She will have a breakdown...she'll have a couple of hard times in this story actually... this Cammie is the most broken and vulnerable Cammie I've ever written about xxx**

 **LLLSSSBBB964: Thank you so much! :) xxx**

 **Chameleon1321: Aw bless ya! Glad you're enjoying this xxx**

 **AllyCarterFan: Awww, I agree, if it makes it any easier, my uploads will mainly be on the weekends now (hopefully). Thank you, so far I'm loving it and I've met people who I hope will be in my life for a very long time. MAKE A PROFILE SO WE CAN DM AND JUST GOSSIP AND CATCH UP AND BE FRIENDS! (no pressure lol) xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: BIG SECRETS! Deedee and Cammie were friends when she lived in Washington, same goes for Josh. Macey might not be _the most_ popular person in the school, but she's got a good bunch of friends, and that's what really matters. Macey doesn't mention her dad on purpose, but it was something that bonded them together so it's inevitable that he'd be mentioned. xxx**

 **Guest: SIS THANK YOU! I most definitely AM continuing this story, check out my profile for the upload dates xxx**


	5. Shave Your Eyebrows Off

**Cam POV**

I made my way back downstairs. Zach didn't follow me straight away. I settled myself next to Bex on her sofa, we settled on watching one of the _Fast & Furious _films.

'Where's your drink?' Bex asked. I glanced down and realised that I'd left my can in the kitchen whilst I was talking to Zach.

'I wasn't thirsty' I said quickly.

It was 10 minutes into the film before Zach came back to join us, I tried very hard not to look over at him but I could sense that his eyes were on me. Watching closely.

'Ready to play?' Grant asked him.

'Uh, yeah, sure' Zach mumbled.

It was hard to concentrate of the film completely especially since Grant kept making fun of Zach.

'Dude, you aren't focused! What's wrong with you?' I looked up and saw Zach's brows were furrowed. He then looked at me for a split second before turning back to Grant. He planted a smirk on his face; masking his earlier expression.

'I'm just letting you win, gotta boost your ego somehow'

'Fuck you' Grant joked. Zach laughed a little.

'What do you think of Paul Walker?' Bex's question brought me back to the film.

'Um...I like his eyes' For some reason it came out as more of a question. _Why was I worried about what other people thought about my opinions?_

'Thank you!' Bex exclaimed. She turned to Macey. 'See, Cam has taste'

'Oh _please_ , he's not as hot as you make him out to be' Macey responded.

'Oh really Macey?' I smiled wickedly at her 'What about Preston?' Macey snapped her gaze to me and started shooting daggers.

'Shut it Morgan, before I make you' She hissed. I held my hands up and laughed at her threat.

'Preston?' Bex asked 'I don't remember you mentioning any Preston'

'Yeah Macey' Zach and Grant had abandoned their game and became engrossed in our conversation. 'Who is this _Preston_ person?'

'I'm going to kill you Cammie' She snapped. I just smiled and tilted my head playfully.

'Do you want to tell them, or should I?' I teased. Macey narrowed her eyes even further. 'Preston was Macey's first boyfriend'

'Ohhhh what did he look like?' Grant leapt over the back of the sofa and sat next to me, his eyes excited.

'Talk, dark and handsome' Macey said quickly. She was giving me the _tell anyone the truth and I will shave your eyebrows off_ look. I've seen this look before...It did not end well.

'With a spiderman wristwatch' I added.

'Spiderman?' Bex laughed 'Seriously?'

'We were young!' Macey exclaimed 'And Cammie dared us to kiss!'

'I didn't dare you! We were playing hide and seek on the train and whilst _I_ was hiding, _you_ were locking lips with him!' I snapped back. Macey took a sharp intake of breath.

'Ohhh, you are DEAD!' She snapped. Grant put his hand over my shoulder.

'Ahh I like Cammie. Can we keep her?' He said

'You're acting like she's a puppy' Bex rolled her eyes.

'But can we keep her, _pleeeeeease_ ' Grant begged

'No' Macey folded his arms and raised her eyebrow at me, challenging me.

'I like Cammie' Bex said

'Me too!' Liz said

'Ditto. I mean any girl who can think about how to improve the properties of an engine has my vote.' Jonas moved his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Macey rolled her eyes.

'Ha! See, everyone likes Cam!' Grant stuck his tongue out.

'Not everyone' Macey flipped her head dramatically and looked at the boy next to her ' _Zachy_ , what do you think of _little miss can't keep her mouth shut_?' She smiled sweetly, she also placed her hand on his leg. I don't know why it annoyed me and I don't know why I held my breath but I did. Zach narrowed his eyes at Macey, as if he was trying to work out what she was playing at. He then looked across at me...in the short time that I've know him, Zach's eyes have always been a striking green colour but right in this moment, his eyes seemed electric. A small smirk tugged on his lips.

'I think she's okay. Grant's right, we should keep her...for a while'

'That settles it' Bex said 'Welcome to our group'

'Uh, _fine_ ' Macey sighed dramatically. She then gave me a very genuine smile 'I guess I can carpool with you for a little bit longer'

'Thanks, Macey' I smiled brightly.

'Do you have anyone special, Cam?' Bex wiggled her eyebrows at me. Everyone turned to me. Macey let out a little laugh.

'This should be good' She whispered to Zach. His jaw tensed slightly for some reason.

'No, not anymore' I admitted

'What?' Macey nearly fell off of her chair 'But I thought you and Josh were...were...you know...'

I shrugged, muttering 'Clearly not to him' The mood seemed to have changed slightly. Everyone sensed that this was a sad topic and were polite enough not to mention anything, but that didn't stop it feeling eerie.

'I should be heading home' I announced 'My mom probably wants to know how my first day went'

'Sure, sure. I'll drop you home' Macey offered

'Thanks Mace' I grabbed my jacket 'Thank you for inviting me over. I'll see you all at school?'

'Bye Cam!' The rest chorused.

...

Macey and I made our way upstairs. Just before we got into the car she punched me.

'Ow!' I exclaimed

' _That_ was for telling everybody about Preston' She punched me again

'OW!'

'And that's for not telling me that you heard us kissing on the train!'

'Believe me, I think the whole train heard' I then proceeded to make over the top, dramatic kissing noises. I spun around to see Zach coming out of the door. I stopped dead, my eyes widened and I was probably the colour of a berry.

'Mind if I catch a ride as well?' He smirked at me.

'Sure' Macey unlocked her car and hopped inside. Zach stepped forward, getting close to me.

'You can be shot gun, if you want' His eyes never left mine. His tone ran over me like silk. He could be asking me a very different question but still cause me to felt a chill running down my spine and words to escape me.

'Um..I..yeah sure' I walked around the car and climbed into the front.

I remained quiet during the car journey; Macey was chatting away and Zach would input every now and then. When we pulled up outside our houses, I sighed in relief.

'Thanks for the ride Macey, I'll see you tomorrow' Before she could respond I dived out of the car and made my way into my house.

...

'Hey!' Mom called when I shut the door 'How was it, kiddo?' She asked

'It was good. I met some nice people'

'Good, good' She took a sip of her drink

'I also saw Joe' I folded my arms. Mom put her drink down.

'Cam-'

'Why didn't you tell me?' I snapped

'Abby and I thought that it was best not to tell you. You needed to find out for yourself'

'That's bullshit! How do you think I felt walking into that room and seeing dad's best friend, _my godfather_ , sitting in that fucking office!'

'Language, Cameron'

'I don't care! I don't want to talk to him'

'Don't blame him fo-'

'That is _not_ relevant. What I'm pissed about is that he didn't come to dad's funeral yet still wants to be part of our lives'

'He's here to help you Cammie. Talk to him, please'

'No' I snapped

'Cammie…' Mom rubbed her head

'I'm tired can we talk more tomorrow?'

'Sure sweetie. There's still some leftover pizza if you wanted it'

'No thanks. I already ate' I began to climb up the stairs

'Not so fast Cameron' She snapped. I winced.

'Yes, mother'

'I can just about tolerate you keeping secrets from me, but I will not stand you lying to me. Now, go into that kitchen and grab yourself a slice of pizza and eat it'

'Yes, mom' I tried not to smile. Mom has been different since dad died, I guess both of us have. She's been more wary with me, but at the same time she's relaxed on the overall _mom_ mode. However right in this moment, she was herself again. I came back down the stairs and moved past her. I could have sworn that she was trying not to smile as well.

'It's so sweet that Macey's been helping you out'

'Yeah. She's introduced me to her friends. I went to one of their houses after school'

'That's really good. I'm glad you're settling in'

I took a large bite of the pizza but found it hard to swallow.

'I think _settling in_ is a bit of a strong word'

'Don't talk with your mouthful , kiddo'

'Sorry' I swallowed.

'Are you going to join the track team?'

'Why does everyone want me to join the team?' I snapped

'Because you were really good and you were at your best when you did it'

'Well maybe this fresh new start should apply to everything that I do. Maybe I should dye my hair or change my name or build a rocket and get the fuck out of here' I snapped. I know I shouldn't be taking it out on mom, but I've been bottling up emotions for so long now, just occasionally some emotions spill out over the top. My mom bit her lip.

'I'm sorry' I said quickly 'I didn't mean to snap at you'

'Don't worry about it' She waved it away 'You've had a long day, you're just tired' I hate when she makes excuses 'Well, I think it's time for me to go to bed. Night sweetheart' She kissed me on the forehead and then headed upstairs. It wasn't unusual for mom to announce that she was tired and then head up to bed; but in this circumstances, it was unusual considering that it was only 6:30pm.

 **Author's note: Sorry for the lte upload, I tried to upload on the 10th but the site just kept crashing. Anyway, so what do you think about this chapter? Cammie and Zach's relationship is going to develop in the coming future. Also Tina will be getting on Cammie's nerves. Find out what happens next time xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: Catherine will be mentioned in this story, I don't know if I'm going to make her a feature character yet. Zach is definitely special to Cammie xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you so much xxx**

 **Smiles180: Thank you! Zach is definitely shocked at what Cammie told him and needs to process it a little more. xxx**

 **HersheyLife: Thank you xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Cammie and Zach will get closer from now on xxx**

 **4EverAGallagherGirl: I loved the beginning of your comment! Could it be true...yes...Zach has once again stolen my heart. Cammie will be more broken than I've ever written her to be which means Zach has his work cut out of him. I love Cammie and Macey's relationship so much as well! xxx**

 **Chameleon1321: Aw thank you! I like Zach having a little bit of mystery/cockiness about him. I absolutely love the Zach in the books and I'm glad that you're enjoying my version of Zach as well xxx**

 **gymnast1150: Here's the upload that you wanted (I've read your chapter but I haven't commented on it yet lol). What did you think about Zach's reaction? He's not giving too much away, but they will talk more about it later. The relationship between Cammie and Joe will not be the same as the books, not for a while...Joe has A HUGE reason for why he didn't go to the funeral, but you'll find out in a long time. I don't like Tina either. I love your long reviews! I always love them, they make my day (or evening considering it's half 11 in the UK right now). I feel as though every story needs a loveable idiot and we've universally decided that it needs to be Grant. xxx**

 **abbyskates: Aww thank you very much xxx**


	6. Already Has

**Cam POV**

It's been a couple of days since I first joined Roseville High, in that time I'd avoided Mr Solomon at all cost, hung out with Bex and the others as much as possible and also tried to avoid Tina and her judgements.

This morning, mom was making smoothies.

'Here, this is peach and mango' She handed me a glass.

'What's got you in such a good mood?' I wondered

'We've got a guest coming to join us tonight'

'Is it Abby?' I asked. Mom didn't respond so I took it as a yes. There was a car horn outside.

'That'll be Macey' I chugged my drink down.

'Don't be late kiddo! Dinner's at 7, sharp!'

'I'm going to be late. There's a football game on and my friends are playing'

'Fine. But make sure you come back straight after!'

'Will do. Bye mom!' I shut the door behind me. Macey was waiting in the car.

'You're in a chipper mood today' Macey eyed me carefully. I shrugged.

'I'm looking forward to watching the football match tonight'

'Did you not watch it at Gallagher?'

'Not really. I mean Josh wasn't on the team, but his best friend was and I couldn't stand him'

'Dillion?' Macey made gagging noises 'He is an absolute _dickhead_ '

'You've never met him!' I laughed

'I feel like I have from all the stories you've told me about him'

'He's just one of those people that you either love or hate' I told her 'He's definitable someone I _don't_ miss from Gallagher'

'What about your best friend, Deedee was it? Have you spoken to her recently?' Macey asked. I bit my lip.

'No. She hasn't returned any of my calls' I waved it away 'I'm sure she's just busy'

'How long have you been friends with this Deedee girl?'

'It feels like forever, it was always Deedee, Josh and me since like preschool'

'And then you and Josh dated?' She gave me a pointed look. I nodded, giving a small laugh.

'Yeah' I felt embarrassed 'We kinda drifted together and then things went wrong'

'Well, I'm going to make it my personal mission to get you a guy'

'Macey, please don't' I groaned

'Oh come on! Bex said that half the football team had googly eyes for you!' I thought back to my first athletics lesson and how apparently everyone was looking at me. I also thought about our unfinished conversation about Zach...

***  
At Roseville High, I have managed to meet most of my teachers, luckily I've had either Bex or Macey in all of my classes, but English was not one of them.

'You'll be fine' Macey reassured me in homeroom.

'Says the girl who's taking AP English' I groaned

'Hey, I'm a politician's daughter, I've got a way with words' She winks.

'Relax Gallagher Girl' Zach leant in next to me 'You've got me all to yourself for a whole hour'

'Great' I rolled my eyes. Also since I've hung out with Macey and co more, Zach and I have struck up a banterful friendship (and on a handful of occasions, it may seem flirty)

The bell rung to signal the end of homeroom. Zach hovered at the door waiting for me so we could go to class together.

'Since we're alone' He began

'Yeah?' I raised my eyebrow

'I want to apologise for the other night. I shouldn't have been so probing with questions. I didn't mean to make it awkward asking about your dad'

'It's fine' I waved it away 'I've going to have to mention it to the others at some point'

'Does Macey know?'

'Yeah, her dad's campaign focused on service men & women. Macey and I became friends through that, she was my shoulder to cry on when he died...she was also at the funeral with me'

'Macey's a good friend' He said

'She is. Although sometimes I want to drop kick her onto the next planet' Zach laughed loudly.

'Remind me not to get on your bad side Gallagher Girl' He then stepped in front of me, blocking my path 'Although, I don't think you have one' His eyes were electric again. I held back a blush.

'Maybe I'll surprise you' I quipped. Zach smirked

'Maybe you will' A moment passed where it felt like it was just us two in the busy corridor. I went to say something else 'Come on' Zach said first 'We've got to get to class before Mrs Moyes gives us detention'

Zach and I were the last two people to walk through the door as the bell rang. Zach strode in confidently and made his way to his seat. I hovered back slightly, unsure about where to go considering that I was joining a term into the school year. Zach sat down and began to search for me, obviously thinking that I would follow. He gave me a small smirk and tilted his head, pointing to the chair diagonal from him. I smiled back and made my way towards it. I was about to sit down when a figure slid into it instead.

'Oh I'm sorry, were you going to sit here?' Tina asked. I fixed a smile on my face.

'No it's okay, you can have it' I glanced at Zach, once again his jaw was tense.

'There's a spare seat over there' Tina pointed a perfectly manicured nail at a seat on the other side of the room. I kept the smile on my face and moved over to it. Once I sat down, I turned to look back at Zach, he was looking at me.

'Sorry' He mouthed at me. I shrugged

'It's fine' I mouthed back.

The teacher cleared her throat. Time to start.

'This semester we will be looking at one of Shakespeare's most performed play. Can anyone tell me what it could be?'

'Othello?' Tina wondered

'Incorrect'

'A Midsummer Night's Dream?' Someone else wondered

'Guess again'

'Romeo & Juliet' I suggested. Mrs Moyers looked over at me

'Very good miss…'

'Morgan. Cammie Morgan, miss'

'Ah, the Morgan girl' She muttered. I narrowed my eyes. She waved it away 'Are you familiar with the play, Miss Morgan?' She asked

'Yeah, I studied it in my old school'

'Then I would gladly enjoy your input into any of our discussions. There's no hiding in my class' She clasped her hands together 'Now-' The rest of the lesson felt like it went too fast. I wrote at least three pages worth of notes, and that was just talking about why he chose their names for the title.

'That lesson was so good!' I exclaimed to Zach as we walked out of class 'Way better than what my old english teacher'

'Do you miss anything from D.C?'

'Nothing that'll make a difference' I said bluntly

'Maybe it will. Maybe there's an alternative right here in good old Roseville' He swung around with wide arms. I laughed lightly. 'See, I've got you smiling, that's something Roseville's made you do'

'Because you're an idiot' I punched his arm lightly, he faked being hurt.

'You're really going to hurt my feelings Gallagher Girl'

'Why do you call me that?' I asked. Zach raised an eyebrow at me, for once he wasn't smirking.

'You went to Gallagher...you're a girl…' He looked at me as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I rolled my eyes.

'I noticed that none of the others have a nickname' I tilted my head. Zach smirked

'I call Macey, Mace and McHenry. I call Rebecca, Bex and occasionally I call Liz, Bookworm' He stepped closer to me 'Don't think you're all that special' He teased.

'So what should I call you?' I raised my eyebrow. Zach's smirk widened. His eyes returned to being electric.

'You can call me anything you want, _Gallagher Girl_ ' He whispered. In that moment I realised that Zach and I had drifted even closer together. _Very_ close together. I opened my mouth but there was a loud crush at the other end of the corridor. I jumped back from Zach. The culprit for the noise was Tina Walters who had dropped all of her books.

'Oops!' She squealed dramatically 'How clumsy of me'

'Um...I should be getting to class' I stepped away from Zach

'You are coming to the game, aren't you?' Zach asked eagerly. I nodded. He smiled at me.

'I'll see you later Gallagher Girl' He walked off down the corridor. I turned the other way and almost bumped into Tina. Damn that girl moves fast.

'Cammie, hi' She said over sweetly

'Hello Tina'

'We've got Biology together, let's go' She linked her arm through mine and began to pull me down the corridor. 'I've been thinking-'

'That's dangerous'

'-that _we_ should hang around a little bit more. You know, have a little gossip. Gal to gal'

'Where are you going with this Tina?' I pulled my arm out of her grasp.

'I just want to be friends' She stepped closer to me, her smile becoming more forced 'And for you to know your place' Her smile dropped.

'Excuse me?' I gasped

'Oh don't be so dramatic. I just want you to know that Zach is off limits'

'Who said?'

'I did'

'Shouldn't Zach be the one to decide if he's _off limits_ or not?' I raised an eyebrow

'I have worked hard to establish myself in this school. I plan on becoming prom queen and valedictorian _and_ Zachary Goode's girlfriend. Therefore no out-of-town wash up is going to get in my way, is that clear?'

'Are you threatening me?'

'Your choice Cammie, just think about what _I_ can do' She smiled again 'Got it?' I laughed in her face.

'Oh please, there is a carbon copy of you in every school from this side of the atlantic to the other. I'm not scared of you' I looked at her up and down 'Your roots are showing by the way' Tina let out a gasp 'I guess you're not fooling anyone _bottle blonde_ ' She gasped again. I smiled sweetly and then walked passed her and into class.

'Are you okay?' Bex asked when I sunk into the seat next to her

'I'm fine' I whispered

'Cammie, you're shaking'

'I'm just cold' I dismissed it

'Did something happen in english?'

' _Tina happened_ ' I glanced at Bex 'And right now I want to forget about it and focus on this lesson' I turned away from her and tried to focus.

'Don't let her get under your skin' Bex whispered. I glanced up and saw Tina smirking her way into class.

'I think she already has'

 **Author's note: Ohhh so Cammie and Tina have butted heads, but will she rise above it? Cammie and Zach have a class together and they're studying _Romeo & Juliet _will the play reflect Zammie's situation, they also FLIRTED! ZAMMIE HAS BEGUN! Also, Cammie was referred to as 'The Morgan Girl' what does that mean? What lies ahead for Cammie, find out next time! xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: Cammie and Zach will talk more about her relationship with her father in the future. Joe and Cammie will talk to each other soon, but the secret will remain a secret for a lot longer...right until tragedy strikes. Joe has his reasons, and they are really personal. Aww thank you very much, I'm really enjoying this story as well. I'm trying to update on time, believe me I'm trying so very hard. Thank you so much as always xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Zach and Cammie will get _very_ close in the upcoming chapters. They _might_ start dating, but Cammie isn't ready for it. She's steering away from all of her feelings xxx**

 **Smiles180: Macey is very in tune with Cammie and I love that she's there for Cammie. Yes, Macey will pick up on the potential Zammie relationship developing. I think Zach was more shocked with what Cammie had said to him; he was expecting a divorce situation and definitely not death...also Cammie was somewhat nonchalant about it. xxx**

 **abbyskates: Thank you so much! I'm so glad that you are enjoying it xxx**

 **Chameleon1321: Thank you so much! I'm really looking forward to where this story goes as well xxx**

 **gymnast1150: i always see Zach and Cammie as magnets. They always find each other in the end. I also think that Zach feels bad about Cammie so wanted to make sure she was okay when they were leaving. They will talk about Cammie's dad, but Cam will take time to open up to people. They will talk, and Cam will have a breakdown, and it'll be sad. BE PREPARED. I've made it very very raw. I do understand where you are coming from with Rachel; at the end of the day, she is struggling with losing her husband, and getting very close to losing Cammie (which you will find out more about later). She's just trying to be a good mother but Cammie isn't giving her much room to talk. They do have a heart to heart coming up. You haven't offended me at all. I love Macey and Grant as well xxx**

 **Abby: Thank you so much! The upload schedule will be on my profile, so check that out. xxx**


	7. Roseville Rangers

**Cammie POV**

Football. America's favourite pastime. A sport that in Roseville _clearly_ is a big event. I pulled my jacket tighter around my body as the air turned colder.

'Here' Bex handed me a steaming cup of hot chocolate. 'Best in town'

'Thanks' I took it gladly. My numb fingers curling around the cup.

'Are you ready to talk?' Bex sat next to me.

'Talk about what?'

'About Tina' I rolled my eyes

'Bex, I'm not going to talk about it' I hissed

'Oh come on, clearly _something_ happened! In class you were constantly sending daggers into the back of her head' She took a sip of her drink 'If looks could kill…'

'Luckily they haven't developed the technology for that, so leave it' I warned

'Look' Bex said bluntly 'I know that we barely know each other, and I _rarely_ lose my temper. But the one thing I can't stand is my friends not being able to trust me'

'It's just not important Bex, she said the usual Queen Bee shit that I've heard way too many times'

'Did she say anything else?' She asked. I rocked back and forth whilst biting my lip.

'She said that she had a claim on a guy'

'Ah' Bex nodded 'Zach'

'You know about this?' I gasped. Bex gave a small laugh

'Everyone knows about this!'

'Knows about what?' Liz asked sitting down on the other side to Bex

'Tina and her _claim_ ' Bex chuckled. Liz let out a small laugh as well.

'What am I missing?' I asked confused

'Tina's had this crush on Zach since he joined pre-school' Liz moved her glasses

'How long have you guys all lived here?' I asked 'Because it seems that you've all moved at some point'

'Grant, Jonas and I have lived here our entire lives. Zach joined in pre-school when his parents split. Macey joined in middle school after being kicked out of some all girls boarding school'

'I joined in high school when my dad's job transferred over here' Bex added

'Then there's you and that completes our group' Liz smiled.

'You are part of our group, aren't you?' Bex raised her eyebrow, her eyes asked; _Will you trust me_?

'Yeah, I am' I smiled

'LADIES AND GENTLEMEN' The announcer boomed 'ARE YOU READY?'

'Where's Macey?' I asked

' _Always late_ ' Liz and Bex said in unison without taking their eyes off of the field

'PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR YOUR VERY OWN ROSEVILLE RANGERS!' There was an eruption of applause. Bex and Liz stood up along with everyone else around me; all of them cheering from the top of their lungs. I remained seated, feeling completely out of place. The players were lead out by the cheerleaders; I could pick Grant out right away by his build and how he was running.

'Where's Zach?' I asked standing up.

'Right there' Bex pointed him out in the crowd. I followed her gaze, landing on Zach's figure. He was wearing the number 10 jersey. He was talking to another player, but turned around once my gaze landed on him. He looked right at me. Our eyes connecting over the vast field and he held it. For some reason it made me hold my breath. Grant then patted him on the shoulder and they got into formation.

'Sorry I'm late' Jonas came and sat next to me.

'They haven't kicked off yet' I told him.

'That's good' He adjusted his glasses 'I've never missed a game'

'Never?' Jonas shook his head

'The guys joke that I'm their good luck charm'

 _So maybe that's who Zach was looking for..._

'I'm going to need you to explain some of this to me; never really been a football fan'

'Right' Jonas clasped his hands together, as if preparing for a massive speech 'I. Have. No. Idea. What. Is. Happening' He admitted. I burst out laughing.

'I thought you said you've been to every game!'

'I have...it doesn't mean that I've paid attention to any of it' He leant in closer 'I just cheer when everyone else cheers and I groan when everyone else does. Just follow the crowd, that's my advice'

Suddenly everyone around us began to cheer, Jonas joined in but all I could do was stare at him. His reaction was perfectly timed, anyone would have thought that he'd paid attention and was following along. Once it began to die down, he died down to.

'See?' He looked at me smuggly.

'Impressive' I admired.

'Just don't tell the guys...or anyone else for that matter' He nodded in Bex and Liz's direction. 'It's not really something I want people to know about'

'Don't worry about it' I waved it away 'Only if you promise to sit next to me for every single game and be my cheer/disappointment buddy'

'You got it Cam' We shook hands.

'Oh, by the way, thanks for your suggestion about the engine. I presented it to Dr Fibbs and he thinks it could actually work'

'Glad I could help'

'Thank your dad as well. It's pretty amazing that he's taught you something as handy as mechanics. I wish my dad did that with me'

'Uh..sure…' I mumbled. I then turned back to the game, trying to follow the ball and the players with my eyes. But yet again in Roseville...I seemed to have lost focus.

'TOUCHDOWN! THE GAME IS OVER! THE ROSEVILLE RANGERS WIN AGAIN!' The announcer boomed. People then began to cheer wildly and disperse; some heading home and others heading for the field.

'That was exciting' Jonas said sarcastically, giving me a wink. Literally neither of us knew what was going on.

'That was one of the best games of the season!' Liz exclaimed

'Well maybe Cammie here is there new good luck charm' Bex eyed me mischievously. I playfully shoved her.

'They've obviously been training hard' I suggested

' _Or_ everyone on the team was trying to impress the new girl' She winked.

'Come on Baxter' Jonas said 'You don't believe in that, do you?'

'The boys have you, maybe Cammie brings something _extra_ special' She teased. I rolled my eyes. We began to make our way over to the field where the players were. I began to look around for someone very important.

'I thought you said Macey was late'

'Oh she is' Bex said 'Macey has always promised to attend _a_ game but has never said _which_ one. And there's this whole superstition that Macey brings bad luck, therefore she picks a date at random to come watch; she doesn't know who is playing and she never tells us. It's something she's done since the beginning of school'

'Why?'

'Because each student needs to take part in some sort of _pep_ thing. Macey goes to one game a year and she gets a pass mark, whereas dedicated fans like us just go for fun'

'Tonnes of fun' Jonas said sarcastically, adding a little wink for good measure. I laughed a little.

'Gallagher girl' I spun around to see Zach jogging towards us 'You made it' He smiled.

'I think you've got a new lucky charm Zach' Bex squeezed my shoulders. Zach smirked a little.

'Bex stop' I felt embarrassed. A stupid stand of hair fell into my face, I tucked it behind quickly.

'Don't deny the truth, Morgan' She said pointedly. She looked around. 'I'm going to see Grant' She began to move away

'Wait' I grabbed her arm 'If Macey isn't here, can I ride with you?'

'Sur-'

'I'll take you' Zach offered.

'You don't hav-'

'Cam, we're almost literally going to the same place. _Plus_ it'll save Bex adding 10 minutes onto her journey' He looked at me carefully, his eyes dancing in the kind of _You know I'm right_ way.

'Fine' I caved in. Zach smirked.

'Alright, let me get cleaned up. Meet me in the parking lot? 5 minutes?'

'Don't you want to celebrate with your team?' I gestured behind him. Seems like a party was getting planned. Zach glanced back.

'Nah, I've got loads of homework to do. Plus I have a damsel in distress that needs a carriage home' He winked 'I'll see you in 5, Gallagher Girl' Zach then jogged towards the changing rooms. I made my way towards the parking lot, yet as I got closer, I realised that I didn't know what Zach's car looked like...I know what his _dad's_ car looked like...but I'd never seen Zach drive before.

 **Author's note: Cammie is beginning to settle into the group and beginning to trust Bex. Do you miss Bex & Cammie being besties or do you like Macey & Cammie together? What do you think about Zammie? Well, their relationship will develop in the next chapter when Cammie get's an unexpected guest... xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: Thank you so much! I can't wait for Zammie to start dating either! Tina annoys me too. Hope you had a good birthday & a good Thanksgiving xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Zammie will begin a romance...I don't know if it'll be dating but they'll definitely have feelings. In response to your comment on 'Just Strangers', I never like Zammie to have it easy, I feel like it they are perfect and happy then there isn't much to write about. I love the drama and the anticipation and cliff hangers which is something I find hard to do in true romances. Hope that clears it up xxx**

 **Smiles180: Macey's sixth sense when it comes to guys is crazy. She's such a good friend to the girls. I loved her in the first book especially when these highly trained girls had to turn to Macey for boy advice. xxx**

 **Abby: Thank you so much! I'm glad that you're enjoying it xxx**

 **4EverAGallagherGirl: I'm looking forward to what happens with Zammie as well. Cammie opens up a lot more in the next chapter. The drama between Tina and Cammie will increase resulting in a very nasty cat fight. xxx**

 **GallagherGirls13BYE: Thank you so much! There may or may not be parallels coming up...you will just have to see xxx**

 **Chameleon1312: Thank you! I can't wait either! xxx**


	8. Lie To Me

**Cammie POV**

'Hey Cammie' I was drawn from my thoughts by Tina.

'What do you want?' I folded my arms

'Nothing' She smiled 'I'm just glad to see you showing support for the school'

'Why wouldn't I?' I snapped. She shrugged.

'You strike me as a girl who spends more time _under_ the bleachers than sitting on them'

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' I squared up to her. She didn't even bat an eyelid.

'You might have fooled everyone into believing that you're sweet and innocent, but I can see right through your act'

'Act?' I tried not to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

'Your secrets will all come tumbling out, and when they do, I'll be laughing my way through it all' She glanced behind me and plastered a smile on her face. 'Hi Zach'

'Hey Tina' He said politely.

'Great game tonight' She batted her eyelids and tilted her head; flirting _really_ hard.

'Thanks' Zach smiled a little.

'So' She continued, acting like I wasn't there 'Are you going to Calum's house tonight? I could give you a ride if you wanted'

'Actually, I'm going to take Cam home'

Tina's smile morphed into a fixed one.

'Oh. I guess I'll see you later' She then walked away.

'You okay?' Zach asked when she was out of earshot.

'I'm fine'

'You say that a lot'

'Well, it's because it's true' I shrugged. Zach looked at me curiously, like I was a problem that he couldn't solve. He stepped closer to me, his mouth extremely close to my ear

'I think you're lying Gallagher girl' He whispered 'But that's okay because you're going to trust me'

'How can you be so sure of that?' I tried not to let my voice crack but I felt it go higher at the end. Zach smirked.

'Close your eyes and find out' I began to laugh but Zach was deadly serious.

'Seriously?'

'You're going to trust me one way or another. Now come on, close your eyes'

I sighed dramatically and closed my eyes. Zach proceeded to thread his hand through mine and pull me in the direction he wanted. His hand fit nicely into mine.

'Where are we going?' I asked

'Just trust me Gallagher girl'

'Fine' I sighed. I felt as though Zach was pulling me in circles around the parking lot. He then came to a stop and I ran into his shoulder. ' _Ow_ ,' I cursed under my breath.

'Open your eyes' Zach whispered. I opened them tentatively. In front of me was a motorbike and not just any motorbike.

'Is that a BMW F800ST?' I gasped. Zach smirked.

'You know it?'

'It has a dual edge carburettor and does 0 to 60 in less than 5 seconds!' I looked at him and Zach was staring at me. The smirk still on his face. 'What?' I asked

'You just surprise me, that's all'

'Oh' I moved hair out of my face

'You do that a lot too'

'Um…'

'Come on, let's get you home' He hopped onto the bike and put his helmet on. He handed me the spare one. 'Safety first' He commented. Zach helped me with my helmet and strapped it securely. 'You're going to have to hold on tight, got it?'

'Are you sure about this?' I asked cautiously

' _Trust me_ ' He said again. 'I'll get you home in one piece...or several'

'Zach!' I exclaimed

'I'm kidding' He looked at me carefully 'I promise that I'll never hurt you, Cam'

'I believe you'

...

The journey on the back of Zach's bike was strange. I was panicking so much that I gripped his waist very tightly; incidentally, in doing so I could feel his rock hard abs.

He pulled up onto his drive.

'Your chariot has taken you home before midnight' He gave a small bow

'It's only 7' I rolled my eyes

'Still before midnight' He pointed out.

'Touche' I took off my helmet and shook my hair out. 'Thank you for the ride' I handed the helmet back to him.

'Anytime. I've always got a spare helmet in my locker, just in case'

'I'll remember that'

We stood opposite each other, neither one of us saying anything, just standing awkwardly. Zach looked over at my house.

'Have you got a visitor?' He asked. I followed his gaze to the silver car outside my house. I felt my breath still.

'That's not my aunt' I muttered out loud.

'Do you know who it is?' Zach turned back to me. I nodded feeling every emotion all at once.

'I don't want to go home yet' I whispered. I looked at Zach. He probably saw the worry in my eyes because his eyes narrowed. Once again trying to figure me out.

'You can stay at mine till they leave' He suggested. I gave a weak smile

'Please. I don't want to deal with _him_ right now' I hurried along the path with Zach, he opened the door and I raced inside. Zach flipped on the lights, pulled the curtains and gestured to the sofa.

'Make yourself comfortable, I'll get us some food'

'I've lost my appetite' I said, my eyes drifted to the closed door, waiting for a knock to come. It didn't.

'Well, _I'm_ starving. Be back in a sec' He disappeared into the kitchen. I fumbled with the sleeves not wanting to look around. I closed my eyes and tried to steady my racing heart. _It's okay Cammie, It's okay Cammie._ I repeated over and over again.

I felt the sofa dip next to me, I opened my eyes to see Zach settling on the other side, placing a few bowls of snacks on the table.

'Do you want to talk about it?' He asked. I thought about it for a moment.

'The person who owns that car was my dad's best friend' I admitted

'Oh'

'Yeah…' I played with my sleeves again 'I don't really want to see him tonight or any other time for that matter'

'Why not?'

'Because...because he wasn't there when we needed him. My dad died and he seemed to have vanished as well. It was like losing two fathers in one go'

'I'm so sorry'

'It's fine'

'No it's not' Zach snapped 'Clearly it's not fine if you don't want to go home and are nearly crying'

'I have my reasons' I snapped back 'You don't know what it's like to lose a parent'

'Actually, I do' Zach's soft tone surprised me, he suddenly seemed sad 'My mom and dad split when I was 6 and then I moved here. Since then, I've received 5 phone calls, 4 birthday cards, 2 Christmas cards and a _meet your baby brother_ postcard' He gave a hollow laugh 'That last one was a kick in the teeth for me and dad'

'I'm sorry' I said. Zach looked at me and gave a small smirk

'It's fine' He mimicked me 'It's taken me a long time to separate her life from mine and she's happy, therefore I should try and find happiness in my own life and not worry about her'

'But she's your mother' I tried to reason

'And he's your dad's best friend' He challenged. 'Have you ever asked _why_ he disappeared?'

'He's tried to explain a few times' I admitted 'But I was too selfish to listen...I guess my heart still needs a little longer to mend….'

'That's understandable' Zach put some chips into his mouth 'It took my dad 4 years to stop wearing his wedding ring'

My hand went to the dog tags around my neck. Zach saw this, his eyes widened.

'I didn't mean that you should take them off' He said quickly. Panicked.

'I know. It's just the realisation that one day...I just might take them off...and just the thought of that terrifies me'

Zach's hand landed on top of mine.

'They're yours Gallagher girl, they also mean something to you. You don't have to take them off if you don't want to'

'When I first started wearing them, they felt like they weighed a tonne. I felt so much pressure the wear them, and I still do'

'Is it your mom putting pressure?'

'No. In fact, she didn't want me to wear them' I swallowed the lump in my throat 'It was in my dad's will. It was his wish that I had his tags. I felt that if I didn't wear them…' I trailed off

'Then you'd feel as if you were letting him down' Zach finished for me. I nodded. Zach and I stayed silent for a moment.

'Let's put a film on' He suggested 'It'll distract you' I smiled and sat back on the sofa, trying to relax. Zach put on one of _Mission Impossible_ films.

'Seriously?' I raised my eyebrow

'What? You've got a problem with spies and espionage'

'I just don't think spies are real. I mean, how do you apply? Is there a special school or something? What qualities deem you worthy enough to become one?' I questioned. Zach had a goofy smile on his face that made me feel incredibly shy.

'What?' I asked quietly

'It's just...when you're passionate about something, there's a little line that forms right here' He lightly touched the middle of my forehead 'It's quite sweet'

'Oh' I felt embarrassed again, I moved to put a stray bit of hair behind one of my ears but Zach beat me to it. He moved the strand of hair, but his hand stayed on my cheek. His eyes were bright. I realised how close we were. Close enough to...

Suddenly my phone rang, and whatever bubble Zach and I were in was broken. He dropped his hand and I moved away.

'Hello?'

'Hey kiddo, where are you? Are you on your way home?' Mom asked

'Actually, I'm at a friend's house. There's this party going on because it was the best game of the season' Zach raised his eyebrow at me

'Oh...do you know when you'll be home?' Mom asked

'I don't know. Soon maybe. I'll let you know'

'Okay sweetie, I love you'

'Love you too, Bye'

I hung up. Zach was looking at me carefully, but a playful smile across his face.

'Lying to your mom?' He shook his head 'I'm disappointed in you Gallagher Girl, I thought you were one of the good ones. Guess Roseville's corrupted you as well'

'I'm not corrupt!' I gasped in mock hurt 'I just protect myself...even if it means lying' It was so easy to talk to Zach, I was blurting everything that I was feeling out to him like I'd known him my entire life. Zach narrowed his eyes

'You wouldn't lie to me, would you?' He asked.

'Zach…'

'I mean it Cam' He leant forward 'Don't lie to me, please'

'I promise not to lie to you if you keep your promise of not hurting me' I found myself leaning in as well. Zach searched my whole face. Our light-hearted conversation from earlier now turned more personal and serious.

'I promise' He whispered.

 **Author's Note: Zach and Cammie had a moment! Cute! Do you think it'll develop further? And what did Tina mean by 'your secrets will come tubling out'? What has she got in store for Cammie? Next chapter will be on the 29th December. Hope you have a good Christmas/celebration! xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: Tina is THE MOST annoying character I've written recently. Thank you so much as always xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: I do love the friendship between Cammie and Jonas, it's something different that isn't always seen. Bless ya, thank you so much! xxx**

 **Original Gallaghergirl: Aww thank you very much, I'm glad that you've got back into reading and reviewing. Glad that you are enjoying this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it. To be honest, non-spy stories are trickier than I anticipated! I feel as though I understand book Cammie a lot and I've translated her into my world quite easily. I'm thrilled that you think she's got similar characteristics to the book as that's what I've always tried to do xxx**

 **Thankunext121: First of all, I freaking love your username! Everything is definitely falling into place, the only thing stopping Cammie is herself xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Cammie is friends with both girls, but in this story, Macey and Cam's relationship shines through more. Zach and Cammie will be getting uber close coming up xxx**

 **gymnast1150: No need to apologise! I haven't reviewed your story in a while, so I think we're even :). Aww thank you so much! What did you think of their little talk? I agree I love Macey and Cammie's friendship in this particularly after everything that happened in Boston. To me, that was the first time that the girls realised how much in danger they actually were in the books and I'm glad that Cammie and Macey shared that experience together. Cammie and Bex will be bonding over some secrets soon. I do love Tina's character, it's so Regina George, but I do get irked by her a lot. Thank you as always xxx**

 **GallagherGirls13BYE: The unexpected guest was Joe. Although, DeeDee and Josh will be making an appearance at some point. Thank you so much! xxx**

 **Guest: Josh isn't the guest, but he will be in the story soon and will cause much drama between Cammie and her friends. xxx**

 **Smiles180: I miss Cam and Bex as well, but they will have some moments between them when Macey isn't around xxx**

 **Abby: Thank you so much, glad that you enjoyed it xxx**

 **Jenwarro: Aww thank you! I'm so glad! This is definitely one of my favourite stories that I've written, the other one is _Something Missing_ which by all means you can read on my profile. I would also recommend gymnast1150 who is an amazing author who I envy so much! xxx**


	9. Like A Chameleon

**Cam POV**

Zach and I currently were on our second _Mission Impossible_ film. He'd convinced me to eat something and I was snacking on popcorn with him. My mom had phoned a few more times and I just stared at it.

'You're going to have to go back at some point' Zach pointed out. I sighed

'I know, but not right now' I tried to engross myself into the film, faintly aware that Zach would glance at me every now and then. I was also aware that somehow, we'd drifted closer together.

We were both sharing the popcorn bowl that was situated on my lap.

'Can I ask you something?' Zach asked.

'Okay…' I said cautiously.

'Why Roseville? Why move here of all places? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that you're here but you lived in _D.C._ and now you're living the quiet life is a small town'

'It was my mom and aunt's decision. I didn't want really want to move, but mom was broken and even though she doesn't want to admit it, I saw how she was' I stared at my phone as another _where are you_ text came through. 'I just hope that I'm not the reason for her to break this time'

'You won't be' Zach said confidently 'You're strong and I can tell that you'll just keep getting stronger'

'Thanks. That means a lot' I smiled. Zach was about to say something when the front door opened. I jumped out of my skin, spilling a few bits of popcorn.

'Zach, can you hel-' His dad said, coming through the door 'Oh, hello Cammie. It's nice to see you'

'It's nice to see you too, Edward' I smiled back

'Do you need a hand, dad?' Zach stood up and took a few of the shopping bags, lifting them effortlessly.

'Busy day?' I asked.

'Not busy, just a long day. I'm a doctor at Roseville General Hospital; nothing really happens in this town without everyone knowing. Speaking of which, I didn't realise that you know Joe Solomon' Edward said. I froze and so did Zach. 'He's just left your house'

'He's um...a family friend' I tried not to look at Zach, but I could tell he was looking at me.

'Joe's a good man' Edward commented. I just nodded, feeling the tension build up. 'Well, I'll leave you two alone, goodnight Cammie'

'Goodnight' I muttered. Edward put his shopping into the kitchen and then went upstairs. Zach placed his bags away and came back into the front room. He just stood there.

'I should be going' I reached for my jacket.

'Were you going to tell me?' He asked

'I don't know'

'You've just promised me that you weren't going to lie to me'

'And I'm not' I insisted 'Things between me and Joe are complicated, okay? I used to be able to talk to him about anything and everything! He taught me how to swim when dad was away, and he also picked me up from school when mom had to work late. He was almost always round at our house, then he moved for work about 6 years ago and we'd talk maybe once or twice a week, he'd visit us every holiday. Then my dad died and Joe vanished. There was nothing from him at all, _and_ he didn't even have the guts to show his face at the funeral' I bit my lip to stop the tears I felt from falling.

'Cam, I-'

'Thank you for the ride and the movies and the talk. But I should really be getting home. Goodnight Zach'

I quickly left without another word and made my way over to my house. I double checked to make sure that Joe's car wasn't around. I then unlocked my door and went inside.

'Where have you been?' My mom stood up and folded her arms

'No, _Hey kiddo, how was your day_?' I quipped.

'Do not get sassy with me young lady. Where have you been?' She looked at me the way she did to some of her pupils when she was a teacher.

'I told you I was with my friends'

'I told _you_ this morning that we had a guest coming round tonight'

'Why was it so important for me to be home? You've entertained guests before without me'

'This wasn't just any guest, this was _family_ '

'If it was family then it would have been Abby; and Abby would still be here! So who was so important that I had to be home on time?'

'I'm not having this argument with you tonight'

'Good, because neither do I' I then marched upstairs and slammed my bedroom door. It took thirty seconds for the anger to leave my body, and then thirty _more_ seconds for the tears to fall.

I found my phone and dialled Deedee's number. It rung and rung and then went to voicemail.

 _Hey you've reached Deedee! Sorry I'm not available right now but leave a message and I'll get back to you. Byyyyyyyyye._

'Dee, I really need you right now. Please call me back'

Part of me knew that she wouldn't call me back so instead I phoned Macey. She picked up on the second ring.

'If you're going to to grill me for not coming to the football game, I just have on thi-'

'Macey…' My voice cracked.

'Cammie? Oh my God, what's happened? Are you okay?'

I proceeded to tell her everything that happened, from Tina to Zach to Joe and then what happened with mom.

'Do you want to stay at mine? I'll come and pick you up if you want'

'No, it's fine. I'll be fine tomorrow'

'You sure?' She asked

'Yeah. I'll see you in school tomorrow. Bye Mace'

'Bye Cam'

...

After homeroom I went to the library to catch up on some homework and to catch up with everything that I've missed on the syllabus since moving. I had my headphones in and was really making progress on my reading list. Then someone cleared their throat. I glanced up and regretted it.

'What do you want?' I groaned, taking my headphones out

'I have study period too' Tina sat down opposite me 'And the library can be manic' I glanced around; the library was practically empty.

'Cut the crap, what do you want?' I snapped

'You went home with Zach last night'

'I know, I was there'

'Why did Zach give you a ride?'

'None of your business'

'Cammie, Cammie, Cammie' She shook her head and tutted 'I thought we were going to be great friends'

'Cut. The. Crap' I closed my book 'Let's get one thing perfectly clear; I don't particularly like you and quite frankly I'd love for you to leave me alone. I can't help you with your crush on Zach, and I definitely don't want to be your friend' I gathered up my books ready to leave.

'McHenry and him have a history, did you know that?' I narrowed my eyes, but all she did was smile. 'You didn't know? Oh, silly me' She gathered up her books and left. I stood there in the middle of the library looking and feeling like an idiot.

At lunch I was the last to join the table. Zach was at the far end in deep conversation with Grant. He glanced up quickly to look at me, once our eyes connected, he turned away.

'Cam, we're going to get pizza after school, do you want to join us?' Bex asked.

'Yeah sure'

'Uh oh, what's she done this time?' Bex folded her arms and leant forward

'What did who do?' Liz asked.

'Cammie has her _I've just had an interesting conversation with Tina_ face on' Suddenly the whole table turned to listen into the conversation. 'So what did you say?'

'That we should be friends' I moved my food around. Macey laughed.

'Oh you've really got under her skin, Cammie. I applaud you' She gave me a small clap.

'What have I done?' I looked at everyone trying to work out what was going on.

'Absolutely nothing, but absolutely _everything_ at the same time' Macey smiled wickedly.

'Yeah...I'm gonna need a translation'

'You've got people talking' Bex said 'That's all you had to do to get on Tina's bad side'

'Great, so me being new automatically means that she hates me' I rolled my eyes

'Not that!' Bex said excitedly 'The _boys_. Honestly Cam, the amount of times I've heard your name come from a male's mouth would shock you'

'But….but I'm... _me_. I blend in like a chameleon!'

'Well _chameleon_ , looks like you've been doing a pretty bad job at _blending in_ ' Bex winked. I decided not to say anything, I just moved the food around my plate.

'Still up for pizza?' Macey asked.

'Sure' I smiled. Someone coughed behind me. I gritted my teeth preparing to see Tina behind me. 'What?' I snapped as I turned around. Instead of Tina, it was Joe. He raised his eyebrow at me. I shrugged 'I'm waiting'

'Miss Morgan, I need to have a word with you'

'You told me that it's optional to speak to you, and I don't really want to speak to you now' I turned away from him.

'Cameron, it is important that I speak to you'

'No' I looked over my shoulder 'I'm not changing my mind'

Joe looked at me carefully. His jaw tense. He didn't want to have this conversation here, yet he also knew that I wasn't going to give up without a fight.

'Cam, we've got to set up for our presentation in English' Zach said from the other end of the table. I looked at him confused. 'Come on it's next' He stood up from the table.

'I'll catch you guys later' I hurried along as well. Joe then stood in front of me.

'Why weren't you at dinner?' He asked

'You're not my parent, it shouldn't concern you' I quipped.

'When it upsets your mother, then it is my concern' Joe replied.

'You're not my dad' I snapped. Joe's jaw went slack.

I followed Zach out of the room before I could hear his reply.

'Are you alright?' He asked. I opened my mouth 'And don't say _I'm fine_ '

'We don't have a presentation for English' I said instead.

'I know' He shrugged 'But you looked like you wanted to be anywhere other than sitting at the table _or_ where the conversation was heading'

'Where _was_ the conversation heading?' I asked. Zach gave a nervous laugh.

'I know what some of these guys are like, and I don't like the idea of them talking about you' I was touched that he cared about me so much in that respect.

'Thanks' I again went to move another stray bit of hair that fell, but once again Zach beat me. He cupped my face again.

'I'm sorry for how I acted the first time I met you' Zach muttered

'It's fine' I said. Zach chuckled

'You like saying that, don't you?'

'What?'

' _Fine_ '

'Fine is a word that can be used in different ways' I began to nervously babble

'Mmm'

'It can be used as an adjective, a noun, an adverb'

'Mmm' The gap between Zach and me seemed to have closed a lot.

'I should stop talking'

'I like the sound of your voice' His voice fell over me like silk. If he likes my voice, then God knows what his voice does to me. I bit my lip. Zach's gaze flickered down quickly.

'Zach…' I moaned. His eyes connecting with mine. I almost gasped with how dilated and electric they looked. He let out an unsteady breath.

'Do me a favour Gallagher girl?' He began 'Never say my name like that again'

'Why?' I asked, my voice higher than usual.

'Because I don't think I'll be able to control myself if you do'

Before I could respond, the bell rung and Zach stepped away from me, dropping his hand in the process.

'I'll see you tomorrow Gallagher girl'

'Aren't you coming for pizza?' I asked, my brain still felt fuzzy. Zach shook his head.

'See you tomorrow'

 **Author's note: Zach and Cammie had a moment! Zach can't control himself around Cammie, is that a good thing? Or will it lead to disaster? Looking back at 2018 I've had such a rollercoaster of a year. It has been an amazing year for writing which truly I am grateful for. I've loved having the feedback from all of you especially my long term readers. Thank you all so much! I also want to say thank you to everyone who messaged me when I was going through a hard time at the beginning of the year, honestly it did mean so much to me. Hope everyone had a good Christmas and I hope that you all have a lovely new year. I look forward to seeing you all in 2019! xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: Zammie didn't have their kiss today...but Zach has confessed that Cammie saying his name in a particular way drives him crazy. Thank you so so so so so much! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Tina has _a lot_ in store for Cammie. I love this slow progression of Zammie, it's not too fast especially with how broken Cammie is xxx**

 **GallagherGirls13BYE: I love Joe being there too. In the books he was always there and seemed to know everything which is similar to his character now. Cammie will tell Zach the truth soon, in all good time. Cammie's been hurt and she's hurt people in her past so she finds it hard to open up to anyone. xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Tina has her reasons but also knows a lot more about Cammie than she's letting on. This was another little Zammie moment for you, but there will be a whole Zammie chapter very, very soon. I like the idea that their secrets are locked at the bottom of their hearts. Tina will get more than a knock...a broken nose perhaps xxx**

 **gymnast1150: I'm so glad you're excited to see what will happen! I've been writing so much over this Christmas break! All I can say is that Cammie's in for a rollercoaster. Joe will explain in good time (that is if Cammie will listen). Swooning will happen a lot with Zammie. This version of Zach is by far one of my favourite versions I've written. Of course I shouted you out! You've by far made my 2018 more interesting. I love our little chats and I can't wait to see what 2019 will bring for us both xxx**

 **Chameleon1321: Thank you so much xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! I hope that you like this chapter xxx**

 **AllyCarterFan/FanLurker: HEYYYYYYY GURLLLLLL! I love Zach being sweet as well. He was a bit of a dick to begin with but he's caring and looking out for Cammie which is GOALS. Thank you so so so so much! xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: All in good time..xxx**

 **Original Gallaghergirl: You don't need to keep reviews PG if you don't want. I don't really care, I swear a lot anyway :). Jonas and Cammie is an interesting friendship for me, there's just something about him which makes me want to know more. Thank you so much! xxx**


	10. I'm Your Hero

**Cammie POV**

I felt as though I was in a daze as I headed to athletics. Joe was angry at me because I'd upset my mom, Zach said that he might not be able to control himself...he also looked like he wanted to kiss me. Did I want him to kiss me?

'Cam?' I snapped my head up to see Bex standing over me. 'Did you hear what I said?'

'Um...if I order pineapple on my pizza then you're going to kill me?' My voice was high with my lying. Bex narrowed her eyes.

'Lucky guess' She said. I gave a small sigh of relief. 'What I was saying, is that we're doing track today! You can show everyone your potential'

'You've never seen me run' I tied up my shoelaces

'I have a Baxter feeling'

' _Baxter feeling?'_ I raised an eyebrow and tried not to laugh.

'It's not funny' She playfully punched me 'It's a proven fact that my gut instincts are correct. For example, I predicted that Macey's dad wouldn't win the election, and he didn't. I've predicted that Liz & Jonas will get together and be in mad nerdy love.' Bex's face changed into a mischievous smirk 'I've _also_ predicted that you and Zach will get together'

'W..what?' I stuttered. Bex shrugged.

'I see the way you two look at each other. I _also_ see how annoyed he gets when another guy is mentioned, or when your name gets brought up in locker room talk'

'How do you know about what's going on in the locker room?' I nudged her. She rolled her eyes.

'Okay, okay. Grant tells me'

'Grant?' My eyes widened 'So how many of our group think that me and Zach are interested in each other'

'Everyone' She shrugged. I groaned. Bex chuckled at my misery. 'Don't worry Cam, if you wanted, I can help play matchmaker' Her eyes twinkled in excitement.

'I don't know' I stood up ready to stretch

'Just say that you'll think about it!'

'Fine. I'll think about it'

'Listen up ladies, we're going to be doing long distance running. Our track team is in dire need of fresh blood' The coach said. Bex nudged me. I glared at her. 'Can anyone tell me how long the distance for women in collegiate cross country races are?'

I put my hand up. I was the only one who knew.

'Yes, Cameron?'

'6000 metres, sir'

'Correct. Now, I don't expect all of you to complete it running, but if you want to walk it, then walk. Our track is 600 metres round, can anyone tell me how many laps it'll take?'

'10' Tina answered. She then glanced back at me 'And _I_ plan to run all of them' She was challenging me, seeing if I'd rise up to the bait.

'Don't let her get to you' Bex whispered in my ear. I gritted my teeth and tightened my ponytail.

'Game on' I mouthed back.

...

When we set off, Bex was with me for the majority of it. But my pace was slightly faster than hers therefore she was slowly falling behind. Tina however, seemed to be like a little yappy dog at my heels, constantly chatting away about everything and anything.

'Oh look, there's all the boys' She said. So far I've pretty much been blocking out her talking but for some reason this sparked my interest. I glanced to the side to see the boys warming up for their football practise. I picked Zach out straight away.

'Uh, Zach just looks _so_ cute!' She exclaimed. 'Don't you think Cammie?'

I tried to block her out and push on further. Only two laps left to go.

'I remember one summer, we were down by the lake and Zach basically stripped all the way off. OMG, his abs! I've never seen anything like it! And when he rose out of the water, glistening wet. Mmmm he was yummy'

'Do I care?' I snapped. I couldn't practically feel her smirk

'So you do speak. I was wondering what would get you talking. Guess Zach is your weakness'

'Look. We're here to race, so are we going to, or not?' I snapped. Tina thought for a moment.

'Eat my dust, Morgan' She bellowed. Tina then picked up her speed and instead of jogging, she began to run full pelt. I knew it was too soon to do a mad dash sprint to the finish, especially with one and a half laps to go. I gritted my teeth and picked up my speed as well, chasing her down.

'GO CAMMIE!' Grant shouted from across the field. As I rounded the bend, I saw all the boys had stopped their practise and were watching us. Zach was giving a slow clap. This was the encouragement I needed to delve into my reserved energy and power through. I caught up to Tina with no trouble. We were neck and neck for the most part, her always just in front but constantly moving from side to side to block me from overtaking.

We rounded the last bend, the finish line was in sight. Tina was going to beat me and I would never hear the end of it. I tried to move onto the outside of Tina. She sensed this and moved as well, but she'd clearly misjudged her footing or landed on a soft bit of turf as suddenly she began to fall to the ground. I jumped over her falling figure and continued to sprint to the end. The cheers from the guys grew louder and finally erupted once I crossed the line. Coach wasn't there to meet me as one of the girls had collapsed and he was at the nurses station with her. The coach from the boys group was meant to be watching us instead. I bent over trying to catch my breath and slow my heart rate. This is the most like myself I've felt in months. It was a feeling that I wanted to hold on to.

Next think I knew, there was a weight against me and I was shoved to the ground. I moved round as Tina tackled me, therefore my back hit the ground and not my face.

'WHAT THE FUCK?' I shouted

'YOU BITCH! YOU TRIPPED ME ON PURPOSE!' She tried to punch me but I caught her wrist.

'I didn't touch you! If you weren't so careless you wouldn't have lost your footing' She made a animal growl noise that seemed to resonate from the back of her throat. She then began to claw at me. I defended myself ( _Thank you Gallagher for teaching self defence_ ) and fight back.

'You're batshit crazy!' I shouted. We kept on wrestling, a few of her kicks connected with my side and a few of my punches connected with her in turn. She continued to hurl abuse at me. At one point, she had me pinned down, her hand went to my throat. The dog tags began to dig into my neck. I tried to scream but couldn't.

Before I knew it, her weight was taken off of me and I was gasping for air.

'Cam' Zach knelt down in front of me, holding me steady. 'Deep breathes, come on. That's it'

'YOU'RE A FUCKING BITCH CAMMIE MORGAN' Tina was fighting against Grant who had a strong hold of her 'YOU THINK YOU'RE SPECIAL, BUT YOU'RE NOT! THE ONLY REASON WHY EVERYONE TOLERATES YOU IS BECAUSE YOU'RE EASY'

'Shut up before I make you' Bex squared off to her. I tried to stand up but Zach had a strong grip on my arm.

'Don't' He hissed.

'You shouldn't be angry at me, _Rebecca_. You should be angry at the druggy slutbag over there' She pointed her nail at me. 'She hasn't told you the _real_ reason why she left D.C. did she?'

Zach's grip loosened. Tina was playing a very dangerous game.

'This has nothing to do with you Tina' I snapped, standing up.

'Oh, but it does involve Josh. Have you told them what happened between you two?'

'You have no idea what you're talking about' I turned, ready to walk away.

'A slut just like her mom' As soon as those words left Tina's mouth, I spun around, lunged at her and threw a right hook connecting with her face. She screamed as blood poured from her nose. Grant let her go.

'DON'T YOU EVER TALK ABOUT MY MOM LIKE THAT AGAIN!' I shouted. Rage taking over me. I raised my fist again but Zach grabbed me and pulled me back.

'LET ME GO' I shouted.

'She's not worth in Gallagher Girl' He whispered.

'WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?' The other coach finally arrived...and guess who that was. Joe.

'MY OFFICE NOW, MISS MORGAN' He barked

'Me?' I snapped 'Did you not just fucking see her tackle me and throw abuse! She also had her fucking hand round my throat!'

'My office. Now' He snapped. I knew there was no arguing when he was in that mood. I stepped out of Zach's grasp and marched towards Joe's office with him. Neither of us spoke the whole journey there. I could feel the tears prick the back of my eyes, and I tried so hard not to let them fall. Joe Solomon does not deserve to see me cry.

When he shut his office door, he then spun around.

'WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?' He snapped 'No, you weren't thinking. You were being selfish and disrespectful and you have been this way since-'

'Since when?' I snapped back 'Since Dad died?' I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. _Joe Solomon does not deserve to see me cry_. 'You have no right to tell me that I'm being selfish when _you're_ the one who left'

'Cam-

'No. You do not get to make up excuses or spout any bullshit at me' I felt a tear escape 'Because for the first time in ages, when I was running out there, I felt like myself. And I do not appreciate you picking sides'

'I'm not pi-'

'Yes you are! You keep going on about how I'm making mom upset and that I should be a better daughter. But have you told her to actually _listen to me_ '

'Your mother is going through a tough time'

'And you think I'm not? I lost my dad. Lost my home and my friends to come to this place. And what's worse is that you're here, breathing down my neck and Tina fucking Walters just tackled me to the ground, began to kick and claw at me, then _stangled me_ and she just called my me and mom sluts, but you stopped me before I could smash her face in'

'She did what?' Joe narrowed his eyes. I took a deep breath

'I beat her in the race. She thought I tripped her. We began to fight. Tina called me and mom sluts, so I punched her'

Joe had a hint of a smirk on his face.

'As a teacher I would tell you that violence is wrong. But as your godfather, I want to say _good for you_ '

'Thanks' I muttered. There was a moment of silence.

'Do you know why your mom chose to move to Roseville?'

'No'

'Well, maybe this can help you' Joe took a frame off of the wall and handed it to me. I looked at it skeptically.

'What is this?' I asked

'Tell me what do you see?' I rolled my eyes at his catchphrase. I studied the picture carefully. It was a class photo of the cross country team; and there, slap bang in the middle was…

'Dad' I whispered. I looked up at Joe 'He went here?'

'Born and raised'

'I thought he was from Nebraska?'

'Your grandparents were. They moved down here when work was bad and then eventually moved back up when your dad went to college'

'Wait, mom told me we were moving to move _on_ from dad, but instead, she brought me here, to where he grew up?' Although I should be feeling honoured to be walking the same halls as my dad, but I was having the red monster of anger creeping up on me.

'She wanted to be closer to him'

'What about me? Did you consider me at all?'

'She has done all of this for you, Cam. We were all worried about you after what happened with Josh'

'Nothing happened' I snapped. Joe raised an eyebrow

'So _nothing_ now equates to coercing your boyfriend into stealing painkillers from his family's pharmacy for you to _numb the pain_?'

'How much do you actually know?'

'Enough that I made sure your mom didn't call the cops' He looked at me seriously. 'I might not have been there, but I was updated all the time'

'Then why was it everytime that I called you, I got your answer machine?' I could feel the tears going again.

'I'm sorry I wasn't there for you'

'Why didn't you come to the funeral? It was the one day, _the one day_ that I thought I could count on you above all else and you weren't there'

'I'm so sorry Cam'

'Forget it' I opened the door and went into the corridor, slapping it behind me. Joe didn't follow. After taking several deep breaths, I looked up to see Zach sitting on one of the few chairs outside.

'Hey' He said

'Hey'

'I came to make sure you were okay'

'No' I croaked 'No I'm not' I let the tears fall. Zach enveloped me in his arms, rubbing small circles on my back. With all the tears I was finding it hard to breath, my throat feeling really tight. I began to cough and splutter. Zach pulled back. My hand went to my throat. Zach's eyes narrowed.

'Is this from Tina?' I nodded. Zach cupped my face and pulled it back slightly to examine my neck in the light. I could feel his breath on my neck.

'Looks like I need to take you to the nurses office' He said. I began to walk away but Zach picked me up bridal style.

'What are you doing?' I giggled 'My legs still work, you know?'

'You're a damsel in distress, Gallagher Girl' He winked at me 'And I'm your hero'

 **Author's note: Happy 2019! So excited for this year, I've got so much planned and I can't wait to share it with you! So Cammie & Tina had a little bust up. Zach was there to save the day, he is her hero after all. What do you think about the conversation with Joe? Will Cammie ever get her answers? And what does Tina know about Cammie & Josh? And will they be what she wants? See you all next time xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Joe was like the fun uncle that everybody wants. More and more Zammie will be coming along. xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Tina's trying to get inside Cammie's head, make her think things that will make trusting her friends harder. xxx**

 **Thankunext121: He has to have a bloody good reason. More Zammie will be coming, trust me. It's just a slow burner this story xxx**

 **Smiles180: Cammie finally knows more about her connection to Roseville and her father because of Joe. xxx**

 **Abby: Aww thank you! Zammie is coming! xxx**


	11. Cry And Cry And Cry

**WARNING: THE FOLLOWING CHAPTER ADDRESSES SENSITIVE TOPICS THAT MAY BE UPSETTING TO SOME READERS.**

 **Cam POV**

'Are you sure you don't want me to come in with you?' Zach asked as he dropped me home.

'I'm okay. I need to talk to mom by myself'

'Still, I could be a helping hand. Especially with explaining this' Zach pointed to my bruised and swollen knuckles from my punch.

'I'll be okay'

'Sure? Because the nurse offered you painkillers and you refused'

'I've had trouble with pills in the past…' I bit my lip and looked away. Zach seemed to sense that this was a touchy subject, and I'm glad that he backed off.

'I'll see you tomorrow, Gallagher Girl' He smirked at me.

'Bye' I waved as I entered my house. As soon as I shut the door I was engulfed in a massive hug.

'Mom...Can't...breathe' I croaked.

'Oh, sorry' She held me at arms length, I could see in the light that she had tears in her eyes. 'I got a call from Joe earlier, and he told me what happened' She pulled me into another hug 'I'm so proud of you for standing up for yourself'

'Who are you and what have you done to my mom?' It was my turn to pull back. My mom laughed it off a little.

'I don't like the fact that you punched her, but I'm bloody proud that you did. I was appalled with what she said to you!'

'She also knew what happened with me and Josh. How did she find that out?'

Rachel thought for a moment.

'Her mom works in the hospital with Edward. It's possible that Tina managed to see you files'

'Isn't that like breach of privacy or patient-doctor confidentiality?'

'I'll ask Edward about it, but there's not much we can do now. If Tina knows then you have to make sure your true friends know first' She looked at me carefully.

'What have you done?' I looked at her suspiciously.

'Just invited Macey and her family over for dinner. Just like old times'

'Hopefully not _exactly_ like old times'

...

Mom pulled out all the stops for the McHenry's visit. She left me to do the cooking whilst she found the matching cutlery and tied up a little. They arrived bang on 7pm.

'That was lovely, Rachel' Mr McHenry announced after the Cottage Pie that he devoured.

'All the praise needs to go to Cammie' Rachel smiled proudly.

'Well, it was wonderful young lady' He smiled at me.

'Thank you' I felt sheepish.

'Darling, what happened to your neck?' Mrs McHenry asked. I bit my lip, Macey too eyed me carefully.

'I um...had an allergic reaction' _to a hand being on my throat_

'I have a cream that'll fix it right up. I'll make sure to give a jar for Macey to pass along'

'Thank you' I nodded. My mom cleared her throat.

'Girls, why don't you head upstairs for a little bit?' She suggested. I nodded. For the whole dinner, Macey rarely said anything. I felt like she was bubbling up and waiting to explode.

'WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED AT SCHOOL TODAY!' She exclaimed once my door was shut.

'Tina went absolutely psycho and attacked me' I pointed to my neck 'That bitch strangled me!'

'I heard you punched her' Macey smirked proudly.

'She called me and my mom sluts, so I wasn't just going to sit there and let her say it'

'I wish I went to gym class' She sighed dramatically and sat on my bed 'You seemed to have really stirred shit up since you arrived'

'It looks like I'm going to stir some more…' I muttered

'What do you mean?' Macey eyed me carefully. I took a deep breath and sat next to her.

'There's a reason why I never returned your messages after the funeral' I began

'Okay…' She sounded skeptical

'Josh and I didn't just break up...we were advised by his family to stay away from one another...or they'd get the police involved'

'The police?' Her eyebrows hit the roof

'We were never arrested...just warned' I said quickly. Macey folded her arms. I took another deep breath

'Josh stole painkillers from the pharmacy, and he gave them to me'

'Oh'

'I was addicted to them to just numb everything...There was a day that I was at my lowest and I took one too many. I woke up in the ER, my stomach pumped'

'Oh my gosh!'

'Yep' I popped the _p_.

'Cammie...are you-'

'No. I'm good now. That was my darkest period. Dad had died, Joe had vanished, Mom and I were constantly fighting, and everyone at school was feeding me pity. I couldn't take it anymore'

'Is that why you moved?'

'Partly. There were lots of variables, but me not being myself seems to be the deciding factor'

'Why are you telling me this?' She wondered

'Tina somehow knows. I don't know how and I don't know what she's planning on doing with this information, so I felt like I needed people I trust to know'

'Have you told anyone else?'

'Not yet' I shook my head

'Are you going to?'

'I still haven't told everyone about my dad, let alone this!'

'You're going to have to Cam. Rip the bandaid off...and I suggest you start with Zach'

...

'You're kidding me right?' Zach looked absolutely applaud by what I just told him. I rolled my eyes.

'It's only a week suspension' I reminded him

'Yeah, but who's going to help me in English?'

'You'll just have to do the work for yourself'

'Aww' He pouted.

'Not my problem' I shrugged

'This is your fault though' He shook his head 'If you didn't trip Tina-'

'I did not trip her!' I went to punch Zach's shoulder but he caught my wrist and pulled me towards him. I bumped against his chest. My words seemed to have disappeared from my throat. I was stuck against his chest with my mouth open. 'I didn't trip her' I repeated quietly. Zach smirked.

'I know' He whispered back. He looked down at my lips for a fleeting second. I took a sharp intake of breath. I could feel him leaning in, but I had to move away.

'I..um...have to tell you something' I said.

'Okay…' Zach shifted away from me slightly. I took a deep breath.

'I need to tell you about my ex boyfriend'

'Do I need to beat him up?' Zach half joked.

'Not really...it's just that…' I closed my eyes and took another deep breath.

'Hey' Zach squeezed my hand. I opened my eyes. 'You don't have to tell me if you don't want to'

'I need to' I squeezed his hand back. I took another deep breath. This felt like the single most challenging moment that I've ever had to deal with. 'Josh's family worked at the local pharmacy. It was one of those places that doesn't seem to fit in a large city and would be more suited in a small place like Roseville' I shook my head, getting sidetracked 'Anyway, when my dad died, I'd cried so much that I was getting headaches. Josh gave me a few painkillers and soon I became addicted' I waited for his reaction but nothing happened 'Josh was only trying to help me...I guess he didn't want to tell me to stop or tell me no…'

'Did anything..bad happen?' Zach's voice seemed so distant and small despite the fact he was right next to me and still holding my hand.

'I um..took one too many pills at a point. I woke up in the ER' I bit my lip 'I thought I was going to die' I began to cry. With Macey, I did feel emotional, but she knew me long before I became this person. Both of us had said and done stuff we've regretted, but I've never judged Macey and she's never judged me. But Zach had only known this new/better version of me, and now I felt that I was ripping what we had apart at the seams.

'Come here' Zach pulled me into his arms, allowing me to cry on his shoulder. 'It's okay. You're safe now' Zach repeated continuously.

'It's not okay...I...I could have died'

'But you didn't!' He turned my head to look up at him. His hands on either side of my face. 'Cammie, you need to focus on the positive'

'I'm trying. It's just that I've scared of things repeating themselves'

'They won't' Zach reassured 'Tell me about the best parts of living in Roseville?'

'Uh…'

'There has to be something'

'You' I admitted 'You're one of my favourite people'

'Really?' He chuckled, raising a perfect eyebrow

'You, Macey and the others'

'But mostly me' He pulled my face closer to his

'Yeah…' I bit my lip, his eyes dropped...this time he kept staring at them.

'Zach' I whispered.

'Cam' He groaned. He looked back at my eyes. These were the darkest that I've ever seen them. I felt my heart racing. I let out a shuttered breath.

'Gallagher Girl, I'm going to-'

The front door opened. I jumped away from Zach onto the other side of the couch. He cursed under his breath. I smoothed my hair and wiped my face (which was probably red and blotchy from crying).

'Evening' Edward called cheerfully when he walked in.

'Hi dad' Zach plastered a smile on his face 'I thought you were working late nights this week' There was a slight harsh edge to his voice, clearly he hated the interruption.

'I was, but my supervisor needed to have a meeting with Mrs Walters' he looked up at me 'She won't have access to your file anymore'

Zach snapped his head to me, a question in his eyes. I ignored it.

'So my mom spoke to you then?' I asked.

'She did. On behalf of the hospital, I apologise that this happened' He took a step forward 'Though I do hope history won't repeat itself'

'I do too' I whispered. Edward gave a gracious smile.

'Take care Cammie'

'Thank you' I smiled. Edward then moved off into the kitchen. Zach remained focused on me.

'What was my dad talking about?' He asked.

'The fight I had with Tina...she mentioned my history with drugs and there is only one place where she would have access to it'

'Are you serious?' Zach's eyes were blaring 'Tina _read_ your private files and used it against you'

'Zach, just leave it. It's getting handled'

'I can't just leave it! Tina's basically blackmailing you and for-' He stopped suddenly, his brain finally catching up with his mouth 'Were you going to tell me about this at all?'

'Zach…'

'Were you going to tell me?' He asked.

'I was...eventually' I admitted. Zach looked away from me. 'Look, this isn't easy for me to tell people'

'Am I the last to know?' He snapped

'Zach-'

'You know what? I have homework to do, _and_ I have school tomorrow'

'Zach..'

'I'll see you later Cam' Zach held the front door open for me. I stood there so confused about what had happened. Less than 5 minutes ago, I was so sure that Zach was going to kiss me...I _wanted_ him to kiss me…now I'm getting shown the door.

I grabbed my jacket, lowered my head and hurried out of the room. I bit my lip to stop the tears from falling. I ran across into my house, grateful that my mom wasn't home yet. I ran up to my room, slamming the door and then began to cry, and cry, and cry.

 **Author's note: As the warning stated at the top, I will be addressing issues that Cammie has to deal with. Drug addiction and abuse is a sensitive subject that is getting addressed and I apologise if anyone was triggered or offended by it. Thank you so much as always! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and see you all next time xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: I'm so glad that Tina got punched. Now you know how she found out about Cammie...and Cammie's told Macey & Zach...was Zach right to act that way, or was he being a dick? Hope you like this chapter xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: I don't know how many chapters will be in this story. i'm still writing it at the moment. xxx**

 **Guest: He's my hero too! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Maybe being that close to where Matthew grew up will be a good idea for Cammie. Just think, Zach and the other boys were training far away from the girls; how fast did Zach run to save Cammie? I love that line as well. Zach's just so cute. I'm glad that Cammie is already growing as a person since coming to Roseville. xxx**

 **Thankunext121: Thank you so much! I'm trying to update more regularly xxx**


	12. Moonlight Movies

**Cam POV**

I avoided talking to everyone for the next few days, when Macey popped round, I told her that my mom had taken my phone as a result of my week's suspension. I reckon Macey knew it was a lie, but was too nice to say anything.

By the end of my torturous suspension, I had watched the whole box set of _Friends_ and watched almost every Audrey Hepburn film on the planet.

'Cammie' Mom called up the stairs 'You've got a visitor'

'Coming' I called back. Reluctantly I got out of bed, turned my television off and came downstairs.

'Hey Cam' Bex smiled nervously from my doorway.

'Hey' I replied. I looked at my mom who was hovering nearby 'Do you want to come upstairs?'

'Sure' Bex nodded. I led her upstairs. I sat down on my bed, she looked around my room for a while, soaking it all in.

'How have you been?' I asked, deciding to break the ice.

'I've been good' She looked back at me 'Zach hasn't though'

'Why?' I asked. She shrugged

'I don't know, none of us do...I was hoping that you might be able to shed some light on it'

'I told him some things about me'

'Oh'

'And I need to tell you the same' I sighed. Bex raised an eyebrow at me. 'There are a few different reasons why I moved here, and they can all stem back to when my dad died' I looked up at her.

'I'm so sorry' She said 'How...how did it happen?'

'He was doing a routine route check with his patrol. There was an IED in the road. None of them saw it coming'

'That must have been hard for you'

'Yeah' I gave a small dark chuckle 'Very hard' She looked at me, wanting a further explanation, but also not wanting to know anymore. 'I was addicted to painkillers' I told her bluntly.

'Is this what Tina was talking about?' She asked. I nodded shamefully. 'Oh, I am going to kill that bitch!'

'Bex-'

'She has no right to hold this against you just because Zach has a crush on you-' Bex shut her mouth quickly.

'Wait, Zach has a crush on me?'

'Ummmm'

'Rebecca…' It was my turn to raise my eyebrow

'Oh, I have an idea! Why don't you join us at _Moonlight Movies_?'

' _Moonlight Movies_? What's that?'

'It's a tradition we have here. Everyone gathers in the town quad with blankets and popcorn to watch a film on the massive big screen. Obviously it takes place at night, hence the name _Moonlight Movies_ '

'That sounds amazing and so….Roseville'

'I know' Bex shrugged 'Another perk of living in a small town'

'What's the film?' I asked

' _The Wizard of Oz'_ She wiggled her eyebrows and smirked 'Zach's favourite'

I rolled my eyes.

'Come on, Cammie' She begged 'It'll be fun!'

'I'll bring the blankets' I said

'I'll save you a seat' She smiled. I walked her back downstairs. When we got to the front door, she began to walk away but stopped and turned around.

'My dad served with the British Army' This caught me off guard. Bex gave me a small smile. 'Thankfully, he's still with us. I can only imagine what you're going through. I truly am sorry'

'Thanks Bex' I gave her a weak smile. She glanced over at Zach's house.

'He likes you Cam' She turned back to me 'And I have a sneaky suspicion that you like him too'

'Bex-'

'Save the excuses, Morgan. Just promise me that you won't leave it too late?'

'I promise'

'Good. Then I'll see you tomorrow night'

...

'Alright kiddo' Mom said dropping me off just outside the middle of town. 'Hope you have fun tonight'

'Thanks mom' I reached for the door handle, but she placed her hand on top of mine.

'We need to talk Cam'

'Can it wait?' I groaned

'I know that you've found out about Matthew living here' She said. I rolled my eyes

'Mom, I don't really want to talk about dad _or_ the fact that you've lied to me this whole time'

'Cam…' She warned

'Look, I do want to have a conversation with you, but not right now. Can I go?' I asked. My mom sighed, she gave a nod and let my hand go.

'Love you' She called as I left the car

'Love you too' I called back. The weather was surprisingly warm for this time of year. I made my way through the crowd searching for everyone else.

...

Bex was more or less correct, the majority of the town seemed to have turned out tonight, which meant that pretty much every inch of grass was occupied by someone. I wove my way through the crowd, trying not to trip on anyone or anything. I wasn't successful. I must have tripped over something (but knowing me, I would probably have tripped over my own feet). I braced myself for the fall, but someone's hands wrapping around my waist caught me.

'Seriously Gallagher Girl, when I said I wanted you to fall for me, I didn't mean it literally' He smirked. I punched his arm once he placed me back on my feet.

'I thought you never wanted to speak to me again'

He ran his hand through his hair. I wanted to do the same.

'Yeah, well Macey gave me an absolute earful about how I was acting. I'm sorry that I made you leave my house, I actually wanted you to stay' He gave me a nervous smile. I felt a blush creeping up my neck.

'That's okay' I said 'I know I should have told you, but sometimes it's hard because I have to actually admit that it's true'

'Yeah' He ran his hand through his hair again 'I understand. Sorry for how I reacted'

'It's fine' I waved it away. Zach chuckled

'You always say that' He teased.

'Well it's true' I shrugged. Zach's smile disappeared, he looked nervous.

'Listen Ca-'

'Cammie!' Bex called 'I'm so glad you made it' She pulled me into a hug

'I don't think you would forgive me if I didn't' I joked

'That is very true' She quipped. 'Come on, the movie will start soon'

The three of us made our way over to the a small patch of grass where everyone else in the group was sitting. Jonas was passing out popcorn as we got there.

'Hey, Cammie!' Macey called

'There she is!' Grant announced 'Not only the fastest girl, but also the girl who throws a mean right hook' He began to give me a round of applause. Soon enough everyone else joined in. I felt a blush creep up my neck but I bowed dramatically anyway.

'Thank you, thank you'

'I've heard that Tina's nose was broke and she's going to have surgery to fix it' Liz said.

'Damn Cam' Jonas said. I rolled my eyes

'Maybe they can fix her personality whilst they're at it' I quipped.

'It's good to have you back though' Jonas handed me some popcorn

'Come on you lot, movies about to start' Bex said. Considering that I were the last to join, there wasn't much space for me next to Macey or the other girls. The only space left was next to Zach. Our eyes connected and he smirked, patting the blanket next to him.

I sat down next to him and leant back, our hands briefly touching. I jumped back.

'Sorry' I said quickly. Zach gave me a lazy smile.

'It's fine' He winked at me. The fairy lights that were hung around the tree, as well as the lamp posts all dimmed as the movie began to play.

...

At one point in the film, I glanced at everyone else; Bex was cuddled up to Grant, her hand draped across his chest, Liz had her head on Jonas' shoulder, Macey looked content on her own. I turned the other way to study Zach's profile in the light. They were wide with excitement, a small smile on his lips that showed some of his teeth. In this light he looked incredibly sexy. All I wanted to do was to pick up where we left of at his house, before we were interrupted. All I wanted to do was kiss him. Zach must have sensed that I was looking at him, he turned and studied my face, his smirk disappeared when he looked into my eyes. I swallowed. Zach noticed. Zach always notices.

'What's wrong?' He asked. I bit my lip. Zach's gaze dropped for a brief moment. Suddenly, the Wicked Witch's cackle filled the air, I jumped, snapping my attention back to the movie. Thanking the darkness for concealing my blush.

The rest of the film consisted of stolen glances between Zach and I, with the occasional moments of his arm grazing mine. As the film finished the lights slowly came on.

'So, what did you think?' Macey asked me.

'I loved it! Definitely something my dad would have enjoyed' Since I moved, all conversations surrounding my dad have been stiff and unnatural, whereas for the first time in ages, I felt totally content with saying his name out loud among my friends

'Guys, the fair is open tonight, we should totally go!' Liz suggested.

'I don't know guys' Macey said 'maybe next time'

'Come on, Mace' I begged 'you don't want to miss out on the fun'

'You sure Cammie?' Macey looked at me carefully, I gave her a confused look

'Yeah come on Macey, it'll be fun' Everyone nodded. We made our way out of the busy town square for a short 10 minute walk down the road. Considering that I'm on the track team, I have a much more vigorous walk compared to everyone else meaning that even Bex struggled to keep up.

'Slow down, Gallagher Girl' Zach quipped jogging up next to me 'You're still pretty new around here, don't want to get lost, do you?'

'I can look after myself' I retorted

'Oh, I know you can. I'm just worried for the rest of the people who think they can challenge you' He smirked. I snorted.

'I'll outrun them anyway' I said determined. Then my stomach decided to do the loudest rumble that it had ever done. I clenched my stomach in embarrassment. Zach raised his eyebrow.

'You hungry?' He asked

'Clearly' I pointed to my stomach 'I guess just having popcorn wasn't really enough for me'

Zach chuckled.

'Do you want to grab something now? We can catch up with the others after' Zach scratched the back of his head, almost shocked by his own words.

'Yeah, sure' I tried to hide my smile. Zach gave a small smile and turned to the others.

'Cam and I are going to get food. We'll catch up with you lot' He called.

'Sounds good' Grant shrugged. Macey raised her eyebrow at me, before I could answer, my stomach rumbled again, and she seemed to believe me.

'See you in a little while' She sashayed passed us.

Zach offered me his hand.

'Come on, I know just the place' He smirked. I slipped my hand into his, it felt natural as his hand curled close to mine. Zach led us away from the noise of the fair towards the food stalls all lined up in a row.

'Roseville do this every year for the _Midnight Movies'_ He told me 'The fairground is open for a few hours and almost every chef comes out to showcase their food' He gestured in front of him 'This is the meal mile' He said proudly. I looked around to see all different kinds of stalls cooking a variety of mouthwatering treats.

'Wow' was all I could say.

'Impressive, right?' He smirked.

'There's so many to choose from! I don't know where to begin!' I exclaimed. Zach tugged on my hand.

'Let's get started then'

 **Author's note: Hello everyone! So sorry for the delay in this chapter. Coursework has just been mental at the moment but it's all finished this weekend so I'll upload on Saturday as usual. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Zammie are finally getting closer, and next chapter, they'll be _realllly_ close *wink wink*. See you all then xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: I think Zach reacted in that way because he's grown up where secrets aren't kept and everyone's honest, then this broken, curious girls pops into his life and sends his heart into a whirlwind. Tina won't be _as_ much of a problem, but she will still be involved. I absolutely love _Something Missing_ it's one of my favourite stories that I've ever done, therefore thank you SO MUCH for re reading it and still loving it. xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: Things with Cammie and Zach are looking pretty good right now...and next chapter as well. Edward just had unfortunate timing. He's not bad (I promise) xxx**

 **Smiles180: I don't think Zach realised how bad his reaction was. In his mind, the girl he was about to kiss (and who he may have feelings for) has been keeping secrets, secrets that she didn't tell him, he feels hurt because he thinks that she doesn't trust him. Zach's all about trust. xxx**

 **Zachgoodet: Aww thank you so much! I'm glad to hear from you xxx**

 **gymnast1150: No you're not! Honestly it's fine! I am waiting for you to upload though... (Just saying!). I'm loving cute Zammie. This version of them are more flirty and banterful than full out teasing the other versions I've written have been. Exactly! Zach is hurt that he didn't find out Cam's secret from Cam but from his own Dad in a passing conversation. Soooo much more will come back to haunt Cammie...particularly in the form of one or two familiar faces from her past. Tina needed to be punched! I love how in some stories I've written her as an ally whereas in others she's a complete psycho. Thank you so much as always xxx**

 **LLLSSSBBB964: Cammie will fall into her past to an extent, but the real question is, will she lose herself and her friends in the process. xxx**


	13. I'm Happy

**Cam POV**

So far Zach and I had tried several different dishes; from pulled pork burgers and sweet potato fries to aromatic duck wrapped in surprised me the most, was that Zach insisted on paying for everything, he even took the money out of my hand and shoved it into my jeans pocket to stop me from paying.

'Let me treat you, Gallagher girl' He said

'You don't need to treat me, it's not like we're on a date' I wanted to swallow those words back up. Zach smirked and leant closer to whisper in my ear.

'If we were on a date, you'd know about it' His voice was husky and send shivers down my spine

'How...how so?' my voice didn't sound like my own. I turned my head to look at Zach. His eyes were vibrant in the dark. I could feel his breath on my cheek.

'Looking the way you do right now…' He moved a stray bit of hair out of my face but left his hand cupping my cheek 'I'd kiss you' Once again his gaze flickered down to my lips, he licked his own.

'Zach…' I whispered. Zach snapped his eyes back to meet mine. This was it. If it was going to happen, it was going to be now. Sadly, it wasn't.

'CAMMIE!' Liz calling my name broke whatever trance Zach and I were in. I glanced over my shoulder to see my blonde friend bouncing over to us.

'Finally! We've been looking for you both for the last hour!' She exclaimed. I looked down at my watch to realise that, indeed Zach and I had slipped away from the others for a whole hour. Honestly, it didn't feel that long.

'We're all going to go on the Ferris wheel' she grabbed my hand, 'Come on!' Liz pulled me away. I glanced back at Zach who was smirking mischievously.

'There you are!' Macey called once we were all together 'What took you both so bloody long?'

'I..um-' I stuttered

'Cammie was really hungry' Zach said. When Zach came to join us, he'd stood the furthest he's been away from me all day. I looked at him curiously but he avoided my gaze.

'We have to go in pairs for this' Bex said.

'So who's going with who?' I asked looking at everyone.

'Bex and Grant, Liz and me' Jonas said

'I'm going with cutie over there' Macey pointed behind her to the guy at the cotton candy stall that couldn't stop staring at her.

'Do you even know him?' I asked. Macey flipped her hair.

'No, but I will do' She winked at me. After working out who was with who...that left…

'Looks like it's just you and me, Gallagher Girl' Zach said. I swallowed nervously. Why am I nervous? I've been alone with Zach many times...but now it seems as though feelings are involved. Feelings I don't know how to properly deal with.

...

Bex looped her arm through mine as we walked through the muddy ground.

'So…' She looked at me knowingly

'So what?' I asked

'You and Zach' She wiggled her eyebrows 'You were both gone for a while'

'We were just getting food, Bex' I told her

'Did you pay for anything?'

'Well...no…' I said 'What has that got to do with anything?'

'Nothing' She said lightly, but she was smirking.

'Bex…' I warned

'Zach is old fashioned with romance and chivalry. On the first dates, he always pays'

'It wasn't a date!' I hissed. Then something twigged 'Wait, he's done this before?' I asked. The thought of him paying for another girl made it seem less special to me in a weird, selfish way. Bex shrugged.

'There's been a couple of girls. None of them lasted more than a month' She squeezed my arm 'Don't worry about it'

We were slowly moving in the line for the Ferris wheel. Bex and Grant were taking photos getting us all as a group.

'This is so cute!' Bex squealed at the pictures. 'I'll give you all a copy of these'

'Make sure Cam gets a big print out so she can start her own Grant Shrine which I know you ladies already have' Grant winked. We all laughed it off.

We made our way to the front. Grant & Bex went first, then Liz & Jonas. Macey had somehow convinced the cotton candy guy to come with her. Then it was our turn. The little red cage arrived. The male employee offered me his hand to get on. He winked at me. I smiled back politely.

'Here' Zach stepped to my side and offered to help me in. Here I was, standing in a muddy field with two very cute guys offering to help me. I had a mini momentary panic attack and decided to take Zach's hand quickly. Zach climbed in next to me as the grated door closed.

We stood in silence in the little pod as we began to move higher.

'This reminds me of _Love, Simon_ ' I said.

'The film was much better than the book' Zach said. I turned to face him.

'Are you the type of person to read the book and then watch the film, or do it the other way round?' I wondered

'Ah, see I think these deep physiological questions shouldn't be asked on the first date' He smirked

'We're on a date?' I asked. Zach stepped closer

'Do you want us to be?' His voice was husky and damn right sexy.

'I...uh…'

'Because, as I told you earlier, if we were on a date, you'd know about it'

'H-how?' I asked, my voice small and unlike my own. Zach took his time with his movements. Everything was calculated. He stepped even closer. Without breaking eye contact, his left hand fell to my waist whilst his right hand cupped my face. His thumb hooked underneath my chin whilst his fingers were splayed across my cheek. I bit my lip, Zach's gaze followed that action and then flickered back up to my eyes. Zach licked his own lips.

'By doing this' His breath fanned my face as he angled his own to meet my lips. I jumped a little when his lips first connected. Zach withdrew barely an inch, his eyes searching mine. He smirked and closed the remaining gap between us. His mouth pressed back against mine. There was nervousness on both our parts, but as the kiss grew, we became more confident. My hands slowly made their way up his chest and wound around his neck. His tongue traced the seam of my lips; my whole body quivered in joy. I moaned ever so slightly causing Zach to smile. I pulled back as the Ferris wheel stopped. We weren't finished, nor were we at the highest point, it was just the fact that somebody needed a little help getting in one of the other cages.

Zach still had his hands on my face and hip.

'I have a question for you, Gallagher Girl' He whispered. I opened my mouth and closed it again. That kiss had taken my breath and words away.

'Will you go on a second date with me?' He asked. I smiled sheepishly, nodding. Zach's returning smile was wide. He pulled me closer and kissed me quickly with as much passion as our last kiss.

'Are you happy?' He asked moving a stray bit of hair from my face.

'Yeah' I whispered. 'The happiest I've been since moving'

'Really?'

'Yep,' I stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek. Zach wound both his arms around me pulling me into a hug. We stood in content silence enjoying the rest of the journey. Just before we got to the end, Zach kissed my forehead and let me go.

...

Once reunited with everyone else, we decided to find a prime location to watch the fireworks. Grant was giving Bex a piggyback. Liz and Jonas were walking merrily together holding hands. Zach and I were strolling close together but not too close (it was very hard not to smile).

'I think I need a mint' Macey came up next to me and wound her arm through mine.

'That bad, huh?' I raised my eyebrow

'He went from a 7 to a 2 in the first twenty seconds' She gave a shiver 'He was _very_ handsy'

'Gross'

'Anyway, how are you? I thought it would be hard for you to come here tonight' The softness of her voice made me stop.

'Why woul-' I began...Then it hit me like a tonne of bricks. The weight was so strong that it knocked my breath away. Everyone else continued apart from Zach and Macey.

'Cam?' Zach asked

'I forgot' I began to shake, my heart racing, the tears stinging.

'Cammie, you need to breathe' Macey placed her hands on my shoulders

'I forgot, Macey!' I cried out, my hands gripping her arms.

'I know Cammie, but you-'

'How could I forget?' I whimpered. The fracture in my heart opening again. One of the fondest memories I had with my dad was going to the fair, going on as many rides as possible and eating as many sweets as we should fit into our mouths then going onto the Ferris wheel multiple times watching the fireworks fill the sky before returning home, back to reality and the realisation that come morning, my dad would be deployed again. And I'd forgotten about it. Macey remembered. Macey who has been there for me through everything.

I let out a gasp of a breath followed by a flood of tears. Macey engulfed me into her arms. One hand ran through my hair as her soothing voice told me that everything was going to be okay and that she was sorry for bringing it up.

'What's going on?' Zach's voice felt very distant.

'Not now, Zach' Macey whispered 'Cam needs us right now'

I heard a sigh and I wondered if Zach had wandered off, but then I felt an extra body being added to the hug.

'You'll be fine, Gallagher Girl' Zach whispered in my ear 'You'll be okay'

'Is everything alright? Bex's voice drifted closer. I could feel Zach shaking his head. Then once again, more bodied joined this huddle around me. My heart was breaking so much that I thought I'd drown on my tears. After ten minutes, and lots of kind words from my friends, I was able to breathe better. Slowly, we peeled away from each other. Zach wasn't letting me go, his arms remained on my shoulders.

'Sorry' I wiped my eyes probably looking like a mess

'Are you okay, Cam?' Liz asked

'Yeah, you really scared us' Grant said. I bit my lip and shook my head trying to stop the tears from falling again. Zach's grip on my shoulders tightened slightly. Reassuring me.

'Um...the truth is…' I closed my eyes and took a deep breath

'Cam' Bex began. I opened my eyes. 'You don't have to'

'It's fine' I gave a weak smile 'It's about time everyone knows' I took another deep breath 'My dad's dead. He was killed in action last year. After he died, I spiralled into a really dark place and I've come out the other side stronger. But I still have my demons to fight. I've never experienced this kind of grief that comes in waves or gets triggered by some random moment, and I don't think I'll be okay for a while. And I'm sorry that you guys have accepted me without really knowing me. I'm just a girl with a shit load of secrets and baggage. I've been hurt by the people I love most and have hurt them back just as much. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you all sooner, it's just...not the easiest thing to mention. I haven't fully processed it myself; I'm more for compartmentalising and moving on'

'Oh, Cammie!' Liz threw her arms around me, hugging me tightly. 'I'm so sorry' She muttered

'It's fine' I smiled at her 'He was a great dad'

'Did he take you to the fair?' Grant asked. I nodded.

'We ate so many sweets, my puke was the colour of the rainbow'

'Cam's dad was awesome' Macey added 'He never judged, he was always there to listen; even to a brat like me' She laughed lightly 'I'll never forget how big his heart was. That's something you've inherited Cam, whether you realise or not'

'Thanks' I choked out. My throat feeling tight with emotion.

'A toast' Grant rose his hand in the air as if he was holding a glass 'To Cammie's dad. The rooftop rescuer'

'The service man' Bex said

'The grease monkey' Jonas quipped

'The chocolate sauce lover' Liz joined in

'The listener' Macey said

'The dog tag owner' Zach added

'The believer' I raised my hand joining in. These individuals haven't been in my life for that long, yet I can no longer imagine life without them. They've all just seen me at my lowest point, and instead of running away, they came and surrounded me, comforting me, making sure that I was safe. This is a comfort I did not experience in D.C., my problems were just shoved under a rug and forgotten about. Locked away until I cracked and damaged myself. I will not let that happen again...for the first time in a long time...I feel hope.

 **Author's note: Sorry for the delay in uploads, I promised that I'd be better but I wasn't this week, sorry again! Anyyy way, this is the long-awaited chapter of Cammie and Zach getting together! THEY KISSED! And then Cammie had a little breakdown after remembering about her dad and the fair. She's getting better but still so broken. See you all next time xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Zammie are together and better than ever. Who do you think will come back? Thank you so much xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Matthew is not alive. That's one of the trauma's that Cammie is trying to overcome xxx**

 **Thankunext121: Aww thank you so much! It seems that as soon as Cammie begins to open up to people, there's someone from her past that brings her crashing back down to walk. I'm glad that Bex & Cammie are getting closer xxx**

 **Guest: I'm trying to update more regularly but my coursework sadly takes priority xxx**

 **Smiles180: Zammie took a VERY big step tonight. When love is in the air...but will it remain that way? xxx**

 **Zachgoodet: Aww very glad that you're enjoying this xxx**

 **abbyskates: Thank you so much xxx**

 **gymnast1150: Zach has a crush and now he's acted in on it. Your wish is my command, lol, what did you think of that Zammie kiss? There's plenty more flirt left in for Zammie. But will people come in and ruin it? Have you like predicted my story? You just know me so well! Josh will come back...and Deedee...and Dillion...and a whole lot of drama. Thank you so much! *Glad you updated too!* xxx**


	14. Mainly Me

**Cam POV**

The firework display finished just short of midnight. I'd texted my mom to let her know that I was on my way home. Macey offered to give me, Jonas and Zach a ride.

'Are you sure you're alright, Cammie?' Macey kept looking at me through the mirror.

'I'm fine, Mace. Honestly. I think it's time me and mom had a little chat'

Macey nodded. Jonas was shotgun, he was staying over at Zach's whilst his mom was out of town. Zach was in the back of the car with me; his broad legs were spread wide in the tiny space making contact between us inevitable. His leg brushed up against mine. No words were said, but the contact alone made my heart race. I glanced over to look at him; Zach's brow was furrowed, he clearly wanted to ask me a question but didn't want to do so in front of everyone. I sent him a quick reassuring smile.

The rest of the journey went by quickly. When Macey pulled up outside my house, Zach's leg turned away from me. I wished the journey was longer.

'When are you back at school, Cam?' Jonas asked

'Monday' I sighed 'And the principle said that I've got to have a meeting with Jo- Mr Solomon to work out better ways to release my anger'

'I could think of a few' Zach whispered, low enough that only I would hear. I blushed immediately.

'Well, I guess I'll see you all on Monday' I said

'Do you want me to give you a ride?' Macey asked. I tried not to glance at Zach, knowing that he would give me a ride if I asked, but he didn't want to tell anyone about our relationship until we were sure.

'Yes please' I said. After saying goodbye to the Jonas, Zach and Macey, I made my way home.

'Hey kiddo' My mom was sitting on the sofa watching a romcom with a glass of wine and popcorn covered in maltesers. 'How was your evening?'

'I need to talk to you' I placed my bag down.

'Uh, oh. What's happened?' She paused the film. Put down her treats and turned her whole attention to me. I sat down next to her.

'Nothing bad...just…' I sighed 'We went to the funfair-'

'Oh kiddo, did you remember dad?'

'No' I shook my head 'That's the problem. I _forgot_ about him! Macey asked if I was okay and then I remembered and felt bad and starting crying. Does this make me a bad daughter?'

'No sweetheart' She held my hand in her own 'You were having a good time with your friends, you did nothing wrong'

'But I didn't think about him at all! This whole time I've been fighting the whole moving thing because I didn't want to _move on from Dad_ but now I'm moving on anyway!'

'Kiddo' She pulled me into a hug and soothed my hair 'Our life in D.C. was perfect. However, we can both agree that after Matthew died, a lot of things changed'

'Mainly me' I muttered

'We _both_ changed' My mom angled my head to look at me better 'I didn't think about how you would react to it all, and I wish that I'd paid closer attention to you. If I did, then maybe you wouldn't have ended up in the hospital' Tears formed in her eyes.

'In a sad, twisted way, being sent to the hospital was exactly what I needed to realise how fucked up I was acting'

'Language, Cam' She warned, although the treat was half hearted

'Mom, I'm sorry. I wish that I'd been a better daughter to you as well. I know that losing Dad was hard on both of us, but I found it easier to just lock everything away'

'We all deal with grief in different ways, Cammie. Abby usually runs away from her problems, which is why she's in Europe at the moment. Matthew used to literally run; he'd go out jogging come rain or shine whenever there was something on his mind. Then he'd come home, shower, sit me down with a cup of coffee that he made and we'd just talk about everything'.

'Did it work?' I asked. She shrugged

'Most of the time. Sometimes we needed something a _little_ stronger than coffee' She smiled. I laughed lightly.

'I miss this' My mom kissed my forehead. 'I miss you being able to talk to me'

'I miss it too' I hugged her back

'I don't want you to promise to talk to me if and when something is bothering you; however, I want you to know that you _can_ talk to me and that I will always listen'

'I know' I told her 'I'm just still adjusting'

'Me too, kiddo. It's going to be hard for a long time. There will be moments when you are so happy and then memory with suddenly hit you, and it'll seem as though your world is crumbling, but it's okay Cammie. Your life will still go on even when others end'

'I love you, mom'

'I love you too, Kiddo'

'Since we're sharing things…' I sat up so I could have a better look at her

'Yeah?' She raised her eyebrow

'I had a kiss tonight…' I waited for her to scowled me or warn me off men completely considering what happened with Josh. I did not expect her excited reaction.

'Oh kiddo!' Her eyes widened and her smile grew. 'How do you feel about it? How do you feel about him? Was it a him or her? Who was it?'

'I feel happy' I couldn't stop the smile growing on my face 'He makes me feel safe'

'That's brilliant sweetheart. I'm so happy for you'

'Thanks. We're not labelling anything until we're sure'

'Are you okay with that arrangement?' She asked. I nodded.

'It was just a kiss'

'But are there feelings involved?' I pondered her question, thinking back to the knee buckling kiss, the intense look in his eyes, the several moments that we've _almost_ kissed. Yep, feelings were definitely involved.

'I don't know' I waved it away

'As long as you are being safe kiddo, that's all that matters. I don't have to have the _mom_ talk with you, do I?' She raised her eyebrow

'Nope. All fine' I stretched out suppressing a yawn. 'I'm going to go to bed. Night mom'

'Night, Cammie. Sleep well'

 **Author's note: Not as exciting as the last chapter, but progress between Cammie and her mom. A well needed chat. See you all next time xxx**

 **Guest: I've got an idea about how Joe finds out about Zammie...it'll be _very_ interesting xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: Same. I cry when I laugh literally _every time_ so yeah, I get you when you say you cry easily. I'm so happy that Zammie had a kiss as well! You'll find out next chapter about exactly _who_ will be back in Cammie's life. xxx**

 **Smiles180: Aw, thank you so much! Yes, there will _definitely_ be something in their way. Next chapter! xxx**

 **Avyen7654: Thank you! I'm so happy that they kissed too! xxx**

 **OriginalGallaghergirl: Genuinely when I read those first few words of your review, I got really emotional. A simple written thank you doesn't seem to justify how much that actually meant to me. Thank you. I completely agree about coursework and everything. I agree with you, I love that Zach and Cammie can still be themselves the way Ally Carter wrote them without all the spy and espionage stuff. Thank you very much, the kiss was a long time coming and I rewatched _Love, Simon_ and was like 'I need them to kiss on a Ferris Wheel'. TOTALLY SWOON WORTHY! I totally get what you mean, it's hard to come up with ideas that are completely original when there's a lot of similarities. I love the friendship between the characters too. In the books, I always thought that Macey & Cam had a really good potential friendship, but Bex always seemed to be Cammie's go to person. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Bex, but I wish that the level of friendship between all of the characters was spread just a little more evenly. Thank you once again and I hope to see you next time xxx**


	15. They Leave

**Cammie POV**

By the time Monday rolled around, I was itching to get to school. Funny, that's something I thought I'd never say. Anyway, I rode with Macey to school. I told her all about the conversation I had with my mom (minus the kiss), Macey was extremely happy for me.

'It's progress, Cammie' She told me as we pulled into a parking spot 'One little step at a time'

'She's happy that I've seemed to have settled here'

'Have you?' Macey looked at me carefully 'Are you going to stay?' I glanced out the window to see Zach, Bex and Grant hovering by the main entrance waiting for us.

'Yeah. I think I will'

'What are you gonna do about Joe? Honestly, Cam, if I'd recognised him, I would have told you. But he wasn't at the funeral. I'm sorry for not being more helpful'

'It's fine, Mace. Joe and I have a lot to talk about, but if I'm only _just_ starting to open up to my mom, then it's going to take a whole lot longer to open up to Joe'

'Why didn't he go to the funeral?' She asked

'I don't know' I rested my head on the chair 'I've been too angry to listen'

'I understand. Promise me that you'll talk to me if you need to?'

'What's brought this on?' I looked at her carefully. Macey sighed then turned to me.

'Cam, I've seen you at your happiest, and I've also seen you at your worst. When things go wrong, you bottle it up and then push everyone away. Take what happened at the fair for example; you had a breakdown over a _minor_ incident. I know that I shouldn't have brought it up, but…' She shook her head 'I just want you to trust me, Cam. I don't want to see you hurt'

'I do trust you, Macey' I leant across and held her hand 'I promise that if I feel that I'm about to spiral, you'll be the first to know'

'Don't joke about this!' She hissed

'I'm not. I promise'

Macey paused for another minute before nodding. She seemed satisfied with our conversation and began to gather her things. There was a knock on my window which made me jump. I turned to see Zach. Although he had a smile on his face, his brow was furrowed slightly.

'Is everything okay?' He asked as soon as I got out of the car.

'Fine' I smiled at him. His eyes narrowed knowing that my _fine_ was not _fine_ at all.

'Hurry up you lot, the bell's gonna go soon' Grant called from across the parking lot.

As soon as I stepped into the hallway, it felt as though every pair of eyes turned to look at me.

'You've been the talk of the school' Bex whispered

'Really? I didn't think anyone really knew me'

'Well, ever since you beat Tina _and_ broke her nose, your name has been mentioned pretty much every conversation since'

'Great' I gulped.

'Come on' Zach's hand skimmed my back briefly. I stepped forward sheepishly. There were only two moments when people have looked at me in the same way; One was my dad's funeral, the other was from the doctors when I woke up from my overdose. I felt exposed and vulnerable.

'Nothing to see, people' Macey announced striding forward 'Move along' She announced. Slowly everyone turned back to what they were doing, the whispers still continued though.

'Cameron' Joe was standing at my locker waiting for me 'We have a meeting scheduled'

'Do we have to do it now?' I asked

'If you want to be allowed into this school for the rest of the year, then yes, we need to have the meeting now' Joe folded his arms refusing to back down.

'Fine' I rolled my eyes. I turned to the others.

'I'll see you in homeroom' I told them. Zach opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. I followed Joe down the corridor and into his office.

'How are you doing today, Cammie?' He asked

'Fine' I answered automatically. He raised his eyebrow.

'Really?'

'Yeah. Mom and I are talking a little more. Not much else has changed'

'That's good to hear. How are you feeling about seeing Tina again?' I gritted my teeth

'I don't want to see her if I can help it'

'Miss Walters has been warned that if she goes near you, she may face suspension or expulsion. Same applies to you'

'Fair enough' I shrugged, completely unbothered

'Cameron, please take this seriously' He sighed

'I am!' I exclaimed 'I just don't react in the same way people want me to any more'

'In what way?' Joe leant forward, his eyes focused completely on me. I felt small. I shrugged

'I'm trying not to make the same mistakes I made before. I just want you and mom to stop treating me like I'm going to break the moment something bad happens'

'Cammie' He sighed 'You are one of the strongest people that I know….but you haven't been the same since Matthew died. You still seem lost, and all I want to do is help you' He studied me carefully.

'What do you mean?' I felt angry. I wasn't lost, I was strong. I was trying to be strong; with walls built around me that no one could get in...but last time I did that, I ended up in the hospital.

'That is for you to work out' He said.

Suddenly the intercom turned on and began to blast through the speakers.

'Attention, could all students please make their way to the gymnasium immediately. I repeat, all students to the gymnasium immediately. Thank you'

I glanced at Joe.

'Whatever this is about, I didn't do it' I held my hands up. Joe chuckled.

'Wouldn't surprise me if you did' He winked.

'Do you know what this is about?' I asked as we made out way down the corridor with the rest of the students.

'Not exactly. It could quite possibly be something to do with the upcoming sports events'

...

The gymnasium at Roseville High was pretty much as you would expect it to be. It was a typical large room with shiny wooden floors with colourful outlines determining the different sports outline. The bleachers were painted red to match the school logo which was printed on the far wall. I managed to find my friends quite quickly. I nestled myself in between Macey and Zach. Zach's leg brushed against mine for a moment. We looked at each other, smiled sheepishly and then turned to face the front.

'Ladies and gentlemen' The principle began 'I have just been informed that our school will be hosting another school from a different state for the next few days. They were meant to be on a football tour around the country, however, due to unexpected circumstances, their game set to be played with a neighbouring school has been cancelled. After several phone calls, it has been arranged that our very own Roseville Rangers will play them in two days time'

There were some mumbles from the bleachers, a few cheers and whistles also.

'As well as the game, the students will be staying with us for the three days. Now, all of you are representing the school, and I do _not_ want anything happening that could jeopardize our reputation' At that moment, I could have sworn that everyone looked at me.

'With that, all said and done, I hope you will all welcome our guests from Washington D.C' She exclaimed. My heart stopped and my mouth dropped open.

'Oh no,' I whispered. _You're overreacting Cammie_ I thought _There are hundreds of schools in D.C. It doesn't mean that it's…_

'In two days, the Roseville Rangers with play the Gallagher Gladiators'

My breathing became laboured. A thousand thoughts spiralled around me, memories that I had suppressed...almost all of them involving Josh….

'Cammie' Macey held my hand, her voice felt distant

'Macey…' My words felt sloppy, my vision was blurring 'I think...I think I'm spiralling'

'We need to get you out of here' Macey said

'I'll get her out' Zach said 'You get the nurse'

I wasn't really focused on everything that was going on. Zach's strong arms around me was an anchor, making sure I didn't slip.

The cold air hit me quicker than I had realised. My legs felt like jelly.

'I need to sit' I managed to mumble out

'Okay, hold on. There's a step here, you can sit down' Zach sounded worried. His arms didn't leave me.

'Cam, you need to take some deep breaths'

'I can't'Every time I tried to steady my breathing, it didn't work. The dizzy feeling returned and I hated it. It reminded me so much about the final moments I can remember before my overdose.

'You can' Zach's arm was strong around me, reassuring. 'I know you can'

I closed my eyes and tried really hard to focus on my breathing. It still wasn't working. I began to cry, worried about what might happen if I don't calm down.

'Hey, hey' Zach pulled me into his chest, 'You're safe, Cam'

'I feel like I'm spiralling' I choked

'I won't let that happen' He soothed, kissing the top of my head 'I won't let anything hurt you'

I buried my head in his chest, listening to his heartbeat which was surprisingly steady.

'CAMERON!' Joe came running towards us 'What happened? I saw you both leave' He said

'Panic attack' Zach told him. Joe cursed under his breath in Italian.

'Cammie, I need you to sit up straight for me' The thing about Joseph Solomon that always stood out for me was his voice. Of course, his charming looks and wicked smile helped, but his voice was definitely his best feature. Growing up, if there was anything I couldn't talk to my parents about (which was very little) I'd always talk to Joe or Abby. I would go to Abby if I needed reassurance or someone to make light of the situation. Find the positive in it. Joe, on the other hand, always had a way with words making it so easy to confide in him. He put things into perspective, good or bad. Almost as if he was my conscience. Sadly, he moved away just as my life was becoming more complicated; Gallagher was breathing down my neck about the track team, Josh was starting to show interest in me, mom's work was getting busier, Abby moved away and Dad went on deployment. The one person whose voice I wanted to hear the most, was distant, (both literally and figuratively). All of our conversations were brief and blunt. He'd lost the warmth in his voice, and I lost the ability to confide in people.

But here, sitting on some steps outside the gymnasium, Joe's familiar warm tone was back.

I sat up as he said, Zach's arm never left mine.

'I need you to close your eyes' Joe said. I did.

'Now, take a few deep breaths. With each breath, think of a memory, make sure it is a still image, then hold it. Savour the moment. When you exhale, let the memory play a little bit. Like a gif.'

I took a few steady breaths. Trying hard to follow Joe's instructions.

'What do you see?' He asked

'The house in Nebraska. Grandma just made a pie. It's hot and steamy. Grandpa is teaching me about reading the stars on the porch. I have splinters in my legs'

'Good. Think of another memory'

'Abby, Mom and I are dancing round to ABBA at the house. Abby jumped up on the coffee table and broke it'

Joe and I chuckled.

'I remember' He said 'What else?'

'The doorbell rang. I opened it. A guy, William, he has a buzz cut-'

'Cammie….' Joe warned

'He wants to speak to mom, he says there was an accident, he-' I open my eyes, stopping myself from reliving that moment again. I've re-lived it too many times since it's happened. That moment is a wound I will never heal.

'Cammie…' Joe began

'I hate this game' I snapped standing up 'Always hated it'

'It stopped your panic attack' Joe pointed out

'Where were you?' I whirled on Joe, anger from that memory building up again.

'Cam-'

'You weren't there and we needed you!' I shouted 'Why weren't you there?'

'Cam' It was Zach's turn to speak, his voice reminded me that he was still here and this was _not_ the time nor the place to have this conversation.

'I want to go home' I said to Zach. He raised an eyebrow 'I don't feel well'

'Cam-'

'She can go' Joe said, his expression unreadable 'I'll let the office know that I sent you home' Joe began to walk away but stopped 'I'll also be phoning Rachel to let her know'

'Oh, is it time for your daily catch up? Let her know that the school and life we ran away from is about to haunt us again. Do you think Josh knows? Maybe he'll bring some pills, just in case' I snapped. Joe spun round to face me. I expected anger to be written across his face, but instead it was shock and horror. Zach's arm finally dropped from around me. I could tell that without looking, Zach had the same expression.

Joe didn't say another word, he just turned around, back to where he came from.

I waited for a moment before turning to face Zach again.

'You should get back' I said

'Don't joke' Zach snapped

'What?'

'Don't joke about that Jimmy guy and the drugs'

'I didn't mean it in that way'

'Oh yeah? What way did you mean?'

'Look. You have no idea what I've been through nor do you know how much he hurt me' I pointed back to where Joe was 'After my dad died, I locked every emotion and feeling away and I locked people out too. I saw so many psychologists and they all said I was fine. I was a girl grieving. No one and I mean _no one_ knew how much pain I was actually in, because as soon as someone sees you that vulnerable, then everything changes. Because of that, I lost the truth and respect of the ones I loved. This' I gestured around us 'This is the bottom of the barrel. This is my punishment for my dad being a hero and dying. This is because he cared about protecting other people's lives over his own. This is what happens when you let yourself love! They leave! Everyone I love leaves!' I screamed

'I won't leave' Zach said

'Maybe not now, but eventually you will. Or I'll leave you. I don't know. The universe just has it out for me. Wants me to be alone'

'You're not alone. You never will be' Zach wiped a tear that I hadn't realised had fallen. 'I promise'

 **Author's note: Hello everyone! Sorry for there not being a chapter last week, I've been quite ill recently and I've had to put my health first. What do you think about people from Cammie's past coming back? Particularly Josh? I'm so ready for the next few chapters! Cammie is in for a wild ride. See you guys soon xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Thank you! I really do like that Cammie is finally opening up to Rachel and their beginning to rebuild their bond. What do you think will happen with Joe & Cammie now? She's still pissed at him, but all answers will come soon. xxx**

 **Smiles180: I felt bad when writing about Cammie being pissed at her mom, but she was upset, and now they're getting closer which is great. You were right, this chapter is definitely shaking things up xxx**

 **gymnast1150: THEY DID! THEY KISSED! As soon as I wrote that last chapter, I knew that the image for this story had to be a Ferris wheel which I was so happy with. Zach is definitely someone that Cammie needs in her life, but the only problem is how far will Cammie let him in? She's taken a big leap to trust him, but does she trust herself? I've been hinting and hinting and finally, it's revealed! JOSH IS COMING BACK! SO IS DEEDEE! AND DILLION! And a whole lot of problems too...Cammie reminds me so much of the 'fight or flight' concept; she will run away from as many problems as she could but then will fight when she needs to. Cammie & Rachel are slowly returning to mother & daughter goals. I agree that Rachel had a bad vibe for a while, but she was trying to move on from Matthew at the same time. Thank you once again. I'm truly loving this non-spy story. (Still waiting of you to upload yours girl) xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Zammie hasn't defined their relationship yet. They are just two people who have kissed but who also have feelings for each other...in other words, it's complicated. xxx**

 **Thankunext121: Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it xxx**


	16. Nothing More

**Cammie POV**

I was going to make my own way home, but Zach decided to give me a ride instead.

'You can't miss class' I tried again to stop him coming.

'I don't think you should be alone right now' He looked at me as if I was fragile.

'I won't be alone. I'll have Rachel, Monica, Joey, Phoebe, Ross and Chandler. Maybe an ugly naked guy as well' I said lightheartedly. Zach frowned at me. 'Have you never watched _friends?_ ' I asked

'No, can't say I have' I rolled my eyes

'You're missing out. It's like _the greatest_ sitcom ever'

'Well, maybe we can watch a few episodes together' He offered me a helmet.

'No' I shook my head 'You're not coming home with me'

'But I'm sick too!' Zach followed his statement with a fake cough. 'See?' He tried not to smirk, but it was impossible. I found myself wanting to smile as well.

'Go to class, Zach'

'I won't be able to concentrate. I'll be worried about you' He put his helmet down and wrapped his arms around me 'Besides, if I go home with you, we'll get some alone time' His voice became husky. Zach's hands began to trail down my arms causing me to shiver.

'Who would have thought that you, Zachary Goode, would be the bad influence on me?' I said sweetly. Zach chuckled.

'There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Gallagher Girl' He bent his head down, hovering his lips over mine but not touching. His eyes were shining, teasing me, almost. 'What do you say, Cammie? Let me take you home?' Zach could have asked me anything, said anything, and all my worries would have melted away. I nodded, a tiny feeling that I would regret this decision at some point.

Zach handed me his spare helmet and helped me onto his bike. Since it was the middle of the day, the roads were quiet and we breezed through the town streets. My mom is a headmistress at Roseville Middle School, not as important as her role used to be in D.C. but still a job that she seemed to love. This meant that she would be at school right now...the whole house to ourselves.

'Is your dad working?' I asked.

'Yeah, he left early this morning' we pulled up outside our houses. I clambered off the bike and shook my hair out once I removed the helmet.

'Thanks for the ride. I'll see you later' I began to retreat towards my house

'Woah, Woah, Woah' Zach's arms wrapped around me, spinning me to face him

'Is that all I get?' Zach looked perplexed. I shrugged and smirked wickedly.

'You said you'd give me a ride home, nothing more'

'So you're not going to invite me in?' I shook my head. Zach took a step forward.

'Maybe there's a way for me to convince you?' His eyes twinkled with amusement.

'Oh?' I raised an eyebrow but stepped forward, knowing where this was going.

'Yeah' Zach pulled me closer, his arms around me. He tilted his head closing the distance between us. Then, at the last moment, when I thought he was going to kiss me, Zach picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. I squealed.

'Zach put me down!' I punched his back

'Not until you give me your keys'

'No' I huffed

'Fine, I guess I'll have to jiggle them out of you'

'Wait, what?' Zach didn't answer my question, he proceeded to jump up and down, turning me side to side to try and get the keys to fall out of my pocket, (although they weren't in my pocket, they were in my bag that was dropped in front of the door).

'Zach...put...me...down' I said between laughs.

'Only if I can come inside'

'Fine!' I exclaimed. I could feel Zach chuckling, his chest rising and falling. He smirked at me, his white teeth showing through.

'See, I told you that I could convince you' He winked. I punched him.

'You were unfair' I dived down to retrieve the keys from my bag.

'How so?'

'Because you've obviously stronger and used your masculinity against me'

'I might be stronger, but you are faster for sure'

'That's great to hear. Now I know that if I ever decide to run away, you won't be able to catch me' I joked. Zach didn't laugh. He looked at me as if I'd just suggested we murder puppies.

'What?' I asked 'It was a joke'

'Don't joke' He said, his voice deeper than before. Much more serious.

'I think that you should head back to school' I stepped away from him, folding my arms across my body, looking at my feet.

'Cam, I'm sorry'

'Thanks for the ride' I quickly opened my door and shut it behind me, right in Zach's face. I also made a point of locking the door from the inside and then backing away slowly. I could see Zach's silhouette through the frosted glass. He knocked.

'Cammie?' He said 'Cammie, open the door. I'm sorry, I know you were joking, just please open the door' I stood where I was.

'Don't shut me out Cam, come on. Please? Just open the door, I want to make sure you're okay' I ignored Zach and went upstairs. Once inside my bedroom, I glanced out of my window to see Zach walking down my driveway, kicking the dirt in the process. He placed his helmet on his head and climbed on top of his bike. He rode away without a second glance. I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding.

Despite the fact that Zach and I are close, and I want to see where our relationship goes, my walls are still built too high. The fact that he said _don't joke_ to me means that he cares, and that's bad because inevitably, I'm going to hurt him.

 **Author's note: Hello everybody! Hope you all are doing better than Cammie is at the moment. I can guarantee that she will not be angry at Zach for long, especially when Josh is coming very soon. Slightly shorter chapter today, next chapter will be short as well but after that, they start getting longer which (hopefully) will make up for all the missed uploads. See you all soon xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: Aw I'm glad to hear that! I'm trying to be more consistent with uploading, there's just been so much going on it's hard to sit down and have 10 minutes to myself. Josh coming back will affect a lot of things for Cammie. xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: Cammie has not had the easiest time since her dad died, and just when she thought she was moving on, her past comes back to haunt her. Josh may not be as bad as you think, there's more to his character than meets the eye. Me too, I'm glad Cammie and Rachel are getting closer. Thank you so much for your lovely comments! I've got a lot of ideas planned for more stories, but I just don't have any time recently to write anything. Hopefully, soon xxx**

 **Smiles180: I love their bond too. Cammie and her mom are just goals (when they're on the same page). Gallagher's arrival won't happen for a few more chapters, but it'll be worth the weight. Thank you, I am feeling a lot better xxx**

 **Guest: Me too! xxx**

 **Original Gallaghergirl: Rachel has had such a hard time as well, that I don't think Cammie has taken the time to think about it. But now she is and their relationship should be on the mend. THANK YOU! Ah, your review made my day! Macey and Cammie are GOALS in this story. I don't actually think Joe realises how much he really meant to Cammie. I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you and your friend, it's never an easy situation to be in. I hope that you are going better and are trusting a little more. From one Gallagher girl to another, I've got your back. Zach is adorable, he seems to be getting better and better...but are things about to go downhill? I need a Zach in my life as well. TEA WILL BE SPILT EVERYWHERE WHEN JOSH COMES TO TOWN! All the questions that you have won't be answered for a few chapters, but they WILL be answered. xxx**

 **Zammiiiieeee: Same. Zach is just amazing. xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: They aren't boyfriend and girlfriend _just yet_. In this world, Gallagher was a boys & girls school, not just a girls school like in the book xxx**


	17. Police or SWAT Team

**Cam POV**

It was later on, the door shut softly and I knew my mother was home. I didn't want her to disturb me so I pretended to be asleep. I heard her open my bedroom door and creep to the side of my bed. She placed one hand on my back and a finger under my nose (to check that I was breathing and air was getting through to my lungs). She hovered for a moment before leaving again, satisfied that I was alive.

I stayed in bed for a little while, just staring out my window at nothing. I'd gone back into my old routine of shutting everything and everyone out. I don't want to talk about it, and I don't want to do anything about it. I just want to wallow and not have to face my problems.

But clearly, someone wouldn't let that happen.

My phone had been buzzing repetitively, I'd glanced at it a few times. There were mainly texts from Bex and the others wondering if I was okay. Zach hadn't messaged me once; which I don't know whether to be happy or sad about.

Macey on the other hand had been ringing my phone non-stop. Although I turned it onto silent, I could see the screen lighting up every two minutes or so.

I couldn't use my phone at all, and after a while I could only stare at a book for so long. The next time it rung I picked it up.

'DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I'VE BEEN RINGING YOU?!' Macey screamed down the phone.

'Hello to you too' I quipped

'I'm not in the fucking mood for jokes, Cammie. I've been worried sick. First you freak out when your old school gets mentioned, then you have a panic attack and get sent home, _then_ I find out that you _locked yourself in your house_ and aren't answering your phone!' She snapped 'Fucking hell Cam, do you know how close I was to calling the police or the SWAT team!'

'I'm fine Macey. Honestly'

'Then why didn't you pick up?'

'I was...I was scared and angry Macey. I find out that everyone I left behind in DC are coming here, and then Joe made me think about repressed memories, and then Zach looked at me like I was about to murder a group of puppies!' I took a deep breath 'This is why I didn't want people to know the truth...people look at me and treat me differently'

'Cam…'

'Macey, please don't lecture me on how I should behave or act or any ethical or dumbshit thing that you read from a magazine-'

'Cam, I was just going to ask if you were okay' Macey's tone was soft and soothing. I took a deep breath.

'I will be' I said honestly 'But I need to do it in my own way, even if it means shutting people out'

'I know' She said 'But I just want you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what'

'Thank you, Macey'

'Just remember the promise you made, please'

'I know. And I will talk to you about everything, just slowly and hopefully with a tub of ice cream'

'You know I'm going to hold you to that'

'I didn't doubt it for a second' I chuckled. I looked out of my window to see Zach's bike missing from his driveway. 'Macey, there's something I haven't told you'

'What is it?' She asked. I closed my eyes. Thinking about what would happen if I shared this secret.

'I...I won't need a ride tomorrow, I'm making my own way'

'Are you sure?' Macey sounded deflated, clearly expecting me to say something else.

'Yeah, I think the fresh air will do me good. Bye Mace'

'Bye Cam'

I hung up and threw the phone onto my bed, distancing myself from my friends again. I stood by the window wondering exactly what was at stake now that what I was running away from was finally coming to hit me head on. I played with the tags that hung around my neck, the metallic sound filling the silence. There was truly no turning back now. Tomorrow, the life that I'd left would now merge with my present...and I'm not sure if I'm ready for the truth to be tumbled out.

 **Author's note: We're getting closer to the big reunion! AHHHH! I'm so ready to share it all! There won't be an upload next week as I'm filming my first short film! Super excited about this! See you all on the 23rd March! xxx**

 **Abbyskates: Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the story xxx**

 **Zachgoodet: That's great to hear! Hope you like this chapter xxx**

 **Thankunext121: Friends is just my absolute favourite show. I made a reference to it as well in _Fixing Our Soul_ too. Cammie definitely has an impulse to just push everyone away for as long as possible. I can't wait to share longer chapters too! I haven't had time to write recently so they aren't as I usually do them. Thanks again xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Gallagher will bring a TON of surprises when they arrive. Zammie will have their moment soon. I'm also planning a really cute chapter in the future (one where Cammie will get the answers she needs/wants). Thank you so much as always xxx**

 **Smiles180: Zammie won't be together when Josh arrives straight away, but Josh arriving will cause them to have a much needed talk. Thank you! I've got so many ideas, but barely any time to sit and write it. I've got a few chapters in the bank waiting to get uploaded but I haven't written anything now in a while, when I have more free time I'll get round to writing xxx**

 **MidnightStories1837: Thank you so much! I'm really glad that you're enjoying it so far! xxx**


	18. Deflecting And Defending

It was raining. Raining heavily. The one day I decide not to get a ride from Macey and it's fricking raining. I put my raincoat on and my headphones in. I'm going to get wet, might as well have good music to go with it.

'BYE MOM' I called up the stairs. I stepped outside, a chill hitting me immediately. I shivered. Great, I'm going to be cold and wet. I shut the door behind me and turned around to see Macey and her car waiting for me.

'You sure you don't want a ride?' She smirked, fully knowing that I would dive into her car, which I proceeded to do without another word.

'Thanks' I smiled at her sheepishly

'No worries' She began to drive 'This just means you can tell me about you and Zach'

'Wha...what about us?' I tried not to look at her

'Well, the fact that you st...st...stuttered when I mentioned you and him is a start' She looked at me out of the corner of her eye, a smirk on her lips.

'We're just friends'

'Cam, you and I both know that he sees you as more than just a friend. And I have a sneaky suspicion that you like him too'

I didn't know what to say. I bit the inside of my cheeks hard and continued to look ahead. Macey gave a loud sigh.

'You promised that you'd talk to me'

'There's nothing to say' I said quickly. Macey chuckled.

'You sure about that? Cause right now you look like you're about to run away' She turned to me 'You're not going to run, are you?'

'Not this time' I muttered

We pulled into school, as soon as I got out of the car, I felt a shift in the atmosphere. Conversations stilled and whispers started. Eyes turned in my direction and followed my every move. I gulped. Macey came and linked her arm with mine.

'Move along people, nothing to see here' She announced. Everyone turned away, fearful of being on the wrong side of Macey McHenry.

Macey and I made our way through the corridors up to our lockers where Bex, Liz and Jonas were waiting.

'Hey!' Bex smiled and gave me a little hug

'You scared the crap out of us Cam' Jonas replied

'Sorry about that' I said sheepishly

'Pretty much the whole school saw you leave!' Liz added 'And that lead to half the school-OW!' Bex elbowed her.

'Half the school did what?' I asked, looking between them. Jonas sighed.

'Half the school started talking about rumours. Mainly the one that Tina spread'

'About me?' I asked rhetorically.

'We shut down the rumours as soon as we heard them' Bex said quickly 'Any gossip was dealt with'

'Thanks, guys' I flashed them a fixed smile whilst on the inside all I wanted to do was run away. Macey must have sensed this as I felt her arm through mine giving it a little squeeze for good measure.

'Cameron' I turned round to see Joe standing there. 'May I have a word?' The bell rung straight after.

'I have to go to class' I said as an excuse

'Don't worry about that. I'll write you a note' He gestured for me to follow him. Macey unwound her hand from mine.

'I'll see you later' She said

'Bye Cam' The others chorused. Joe had a smirk on his face, knowing that I had no option but to follow him. I rolled my eyes and trudged along the corridor after him. We didn't talk as we made our way through the school, the sound of Joe's echoed in the empty halls. Once we got to his office, he opened the door and offered me to go inside first.

'I take it you're feeling better?' He said

'I'm fine' I replied. Joe raised his eyebrow, knowing that I was lying. 'Okay, fine. I'm nervous. I haven't seen or heard from Josh & Deedee since the police told us to stop talking to each other'

'And how did that make you feel?'

'Pissed off, I guess. Mom was being a wreck because of dad and I. Plus she'd also discussed with Abby about moving. Not speaking to them was just one more nail on the coffin' I fiddled with the edge of my jumper.

'Are you annoyed at them or your mother?' He asked

'What kind of question is that?' I asked.

'One that I would like you to answer' He replied. I rolled my eyes.

'I was pissed off at _everything_. Especially you' I tried not to look at him, but I could feel Joe Solomon's heated gaze on my face.

'Who do you blame for your overdose?' He asked

'Aren't these inappropriate questions to be asking. You know for some people it's a trigger'

'You're deflecting the question' He pointed out

'Because it's a stupid question!' I snapped 'Any answer that I give will be seen as a deflection until I say that I blame myself; that it was my recklessness that caused me to end up in the hospital! Is that what you want?' I asked. Joe paused for a moment.

'You should go to class'

'What? But I-'

'Go to class, Cameron' He said bluntly. 'Tell your teacher that you were speaking to me. Now go'

...

Stunned, I gathered up my stuff and left the room. I expected Joe to fight back, to say that I was being selfish, yet he'd dismissed the conversation. In a daze, I made my way to room F14. Everyone was chatting when I came in, no one looked up.

'Where have you been, Miss Morgan?' My homeroom teacher asked

'With Mr Solomon, sir'

'Fine. Take a seat'

I made my way to the back of the classroom where Macey, Liz and Grant were sitting.

'Where's Zach?' I asked

'He said he wasn't feeling well this morning' Grant replied.

'Oh' was all I could say.

'I'm sure he's alright' Macey reassured me

'How did it go with Mr Solomon?' Liz asked

'Fine' I said. Macey narrowed her eyes.

'Just fine?' She asked

'Yeah' I shrugged. Macey opened her mouth to say something (probably to say I was lying) when an announcement was made.

' _Attention students, please make your way to the gymnasium_ '

I felt my heartbeat speed up slightly, just enough to make me nervous.

'Are you okay?' Grant asked whilst everyone else was packing up. I nodded. 'You sure? Cause if you feel faint again let me know'

'Thanks, Grant' I was touched by his offer. He was being a friend and I should trust him, yet a little voice in the back of my head was telling me not to get too close. No matter what I did, that little voice was always in my head...and I'm worried about what will happen if I listen.

 **Author's note: Hello everyone! It's been a hot minute since I last uploaded this story. I've been so busy these last few weeks and I've ended up being a part of three short films! I'm going to upload the next chapter tomorrow (THE JOSH AND CAMMIE REUNION CHAPTER) because I know that you guys have been _dying_ for it! Tune in tomorrow! xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Thank you! I'm really excited about all the projects I've been on. I'm glad that Cammie and Macey are having a cute friendship but there are also elements of Bex and Macey classic relationship. Cammie's getting better to not push people away, but it's still hard. Hope you like this! xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! My Embassy Row story I _finally_ updated and the last chapter won't be too long away. xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: They will be dating soon. A Zammie relationship for me in never 2 Dimensional so it's never easy for them. xxx**

 **Smiles180: Cammie is going to have a lot of conversations with the people she cares most about coming up soon, even with Josh... xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you! I'm glad that you are loving this story xxx**

 **Jenwarro: Oops! Sorry for not uploading the 23rd, I've just been super busy xxx**

 **FanLurker: Ah! Missed you so much! Thank you so much! I'm glad that you're enjoying this story and I can't wait to talk to you soon! xxx**

 **Cdgrinnell: Ahh bless! All 17 in one go? WOW! Cammie thought it was hard to be around Josh, but with Zach being absent, she's going to find it A LOT harder. You migggggght be right about Deedee. Thank you so much! I'm looking forward to sharing with you everything I have planned! xxx**

 **Original Gallaghergirl: No words? Thank you (I'm taking it as a compliment, I hope). Cammie has those moments, she'll go so far and feel happy, then it'll be a 180 and she'll push everyone away until she's happy to come back to everyone. I did have an idea for Zammie staying together (but I'm saving that for later). Bottling up for me is natural until I break. I loved your quote at the end so much that it's in my bio now. Thank you so much! xxx**


	19. Fine Fine

Walking into the gymnasium was like walking into the lion's den but not seeing the lions. You know that they'll be there and you know what you'll have to face them eventually, but you don't know if they've been fed or if they'll devour you whole. That's how I felt. Long winded and metaphorical, I know, but still true.

We all sat on one half of the room, the chatter building amongst everyone. The principal stood up and addressed us all.

'Good morning everyone, now I hope that you're all looking forward to this exchange as much as I am. Our guests from the Gallagher Academy will be arriving shortly. They'll be spending the whole day here getting acquainted with they'll be spending a few days with us as part of an extended exchange so you'll be seeing them throughout the week, some may be participating in your classes too. I hope that you all will take this as an opportunity to learn something new and to meet with them. The football match will take place tomorrow night. Now, without further ado please give a warm welcome to the Gallagher Gladiators!'

Whilst everyone was clapping, I held my breath. Entering through the doors were people that I had classes with, faces I passed in the corridor, and there amongst the crowd were the three faces I never thought I'd see again; Dillion, Deedee and Josh.

I shrunk back in my seat, trying not to be seen, but by sheer luck, or fate, or extremely horrible luck, Josh's eyes connected with mine. I bit my lip as a wave of emotions and memories hit me.

'You okay?' Macey nudged me. I simply shook my head.

'Who's that?' Grant asked, angling his head towards the people on the other side of the room.

'My ex' I gave a shiver. Grant sensed this was a conversation I did not want to branch into, to comfort me, he put his arm around my shoulder and squeezed before removing it. My eyes were focused on Josh. He saw this and looked away. I wanted to scream, force him to look at me and say all the things I know he wanted to say to me.

For the rest of the assembly, I couldn't focus. Memories were whirling round, words that were shouted and exchanged in the heat of the argument echoed in my brain. My leg was twitching nervously. Macey put her hand on top of it to stop the movement, but it didn't work.

'You need to get out of here' She hissed

'I need to run' I turned to her. Macey looked panicked. I looked around the room, trying to find the nearest exit. That's when my eyes connected with Joe.

'Breathe' He mouthed to me 'Take a deep breath'

'I can't' I mouthed back

'Yes, you can. Breathe' He mimed taking a deep breath and then letting it go again. I followed his instructions trying to steady my heart rate. After a few moments, I felt my leg stop twitching and my head stop spinning.

By the time the assembly was over, I was calm...ish.

...

I followed Macey and the others out of the gymnasium towards the science block for our next lesson when shit hit the fan.

'Well, well, well, isn't it Cameron Morgan' I stopped in my tracks and spun on my heels.

'Hello Dillion' I said dryly

'Isn't this such a fun coincidence' He stepped forward, a smirk gracing his punchable face.

'It is'

'You look better, now that there's no needle's sticking out of your arm' He laughed and so did a few boys around him. My hands curled into fists by my side.

'What? Got no comeback Morgan?' He sneered 'Looks like the drugs knocked her back into her place'

'Shut your mouth before I break it' I stepped forward, squaring off to him.

'Cam…' Macey warned behind me.

'Ohhhh tough words coming from an attention seeking druggy' In his eyes I could see he was baiting me, waiting for me to rise to his challenge. I was so ready to punch him when Grant held my arm.

'He's not worth it, Cam' He hissed in my ear.

'Yeah that's right, get your boyfriend to save you. Is he your new supplier? What is it this time? Crack? Heroin?'

'You don't know me' I hissed through gritted teeth.

'Oh, but I do' He taunted 'I know that you're such a pathetic screw up that your dad kept leaving because he couldn't deal with your shit. I also know that your mom would rather down a bottle of wine a night before talking to you. I _also_ know that you're such a slut that you made your way through half the football team before settling for Josh, the nicest boy in Roseville and _you_ corrupted him' He stepped forward once more 'I wouldn't be shocked if you were responsible for your dad's death' He whispered. Not even Grant could hold me back from the rage that ran through me in that instant. I readied myself to lash out when a voice made me stop in my tracks.

'Enough!' The voice announced 'No need for a show, everyone move on'

The little crowd that formed dispersed, Grant's hold on me loosened.

'Dillion, why don't you leave it. Go cool off before the game' Dillion huffed but left, a smug look hanging on his face. I turned to face the person speaking.

'Hey Cam. Are you okay?'

'Hi Josh'

'I didn't realise you moved here'

'It was intended as a fresh start' I was numb 'How..how have you been?'

'Fine. How about you?'

'Fine'

'So we're both fine' He said, forcing a smile 'Good for us' I didn't know how to respond. I just nodded.

'You've grown your hair out. I like it long' He said

'Thanks'

This was awkward, _too_ awkward.

'You look good...I mean better...not _better_ , not in that way….I mean you look well' He said quickly

'Thanks' I muttered. I shifted my weight.

'Are you going to introduce me to your friends?' He asked nicely.

'Um, sure' I gestured around me 'This is Grant, Bex, Liz, Jonas and Macey. Guys this is Josh'

'It's nice to meet you all' Josh flashed them his innocent poster boy smile. 'Especially you' He turned to Macey 'Cammie used to mention you a lot'

'Yeah well, when Cam needed me, I was always there' Macey retorted, a smile plastered across her face. Josh cleared his throat, tense at the situation.

'We should be heading to class' I interjected trying to move away from the conversation.

'Oh right, sure, sure' Josh nodded. I hastily turned around, ready to speed away. 'Cammie?' He called after me. I turned around.

'It's really good to see you. Honestly' I opened my mouth to say _you too_ but decided against it. If I said _you too_ it would have been an absolute lie.

 **Author's note: The long-awaited reunion has finally happened! Cam is coming face to face with her past, smacking into it like a brick wall. Poor, poor Cammie. Zach's nowhere to be seen though... Find out what happens next Saturday xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: I will tell you about the films once all the legal stuff has been cleared etc. Zach wasn't in this chapter, but he will be in the next one! Can't wait for you to see it! xxx**

 **Always just another girl: Thank you my darling, check out my other fanfics if you'd like! I'll be sure to check your stories out too! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Joe's reasoning is really sad and Cam's going to have a lot of conflicting feelings about it. xxx**


	20. Amazing, Brilliant, Superb

Josh is here. Josh is _here. Josh_ is here. _Josh is here_. Josh is here, in my school, and Zach is nowhere to be seen.

'Cam?' Jonas nudged me.

'Sorry, what?' I looked at him

'I asked what you got the answer for question three'

'Oh..um..' I began to rifle through the papers in front of me, all of them blank.

'Hey, it's okay' Jonas put his hand on top of mine 'God, Cammie, you're shaking'

'I'm sorry' I snatched my hands away and put them in my lap

'That Josh guy really got to you, didn't he?'

'Things with us are complicated'

'Is that why Zach isn't here today?' Jonas asked

'I don't know why Zach isn't here' I said turning back to my work.

'I know it's none of my business, but…' Jonas began

'But what?' I asked

'The things that guy mentioned...are they...are they true?'

I sighed. Of course, everyone heard what Dillion shouted. Now there would be more rumours flying around this school. Great.

'Things in my past were complicated' I looked at him 'I hit a dark patch, a _really_ dark patch. But I'm better now. Really I am. I just never thought I'd see them again'

'Are you worried that now they're here, you'll go back to your dark patch?' Jonas looked at me carefully. I opened my mouth to say no, but I couldn't. I don't want to go back into that dark patch, but after seeing Josh, I can't stop thinking about everything bad that happened. My mouth suddenly felt very dry.

Thankfully the bell sounded so I didn't have to answer his question. I gathered up my belongings and began to head out with Jonas. Jonas obviously sensed that our earlier conversation was a sensitive subject and he began to talk about something completely different. I didn't pay attention, I was too busy scanning the hallways making sure that Josh or Deedee or Dillion weren't around.

'What lesson do you have now?' He asked

'English'

'Cool, I'll walk you there' He smiled.

'Jonas, you have AP English on the other side of the school. Honestly, I can make it to my class on my own'

'Cam, you haven't been thinking properly today. I was just talking to you about how I'm thinking about dying my hair blue and getting pi to a hundred places tattooed on my back! You didn't even bat an eyelash!'

'I'm sorry'

'It's okay. Maybe you should take the rest of the day off, or speak to Mr Solomon. He'll be able to help'

'I'll think about it, but I'm fine, Jonas. I should really be getting to class though, see you at lunch?'

'Yeah sure, see you later' Jonas gave me a wave before making his way in the opposite direction. I made my way towards my English room but didn't go in. Instead, I headed towards one of the exits, walked across the sports field into the wooded area right at the back of the school. I kept walking until I reached a little clearing with a massive rock. It was peaceful here so I decided to lie down and try to calm my thoughts.

But after a while, I got hungry. I checked my bag and in my rush this morning, I forgot to pack snacks. Great. Looking around, there was a berry bush. I looked at them carefully trying to remember everything my dad taught me about survival. They didn't seem bad. They weren't an unusual colour, nor were there any spikes on the bush. I tested the squishiness and colour. Everything seemed to be fine so I thought I'd taste one.

'You don't want to do that' A voice said just as I was about to pop one in my mouth 'They're blackthorns or _prunus spinosa_. They're part of the rose family' I looked up to see Zach, his hands in his pockets emerging from the woods.

'What are you doing here?' I asked

'I could ask you the exact same question' He smirked.

'Where were you today?'

'I came in late' He shrugged 'You should be in English'

'So should you' I retorted lying back down. I could feel Zach's presence, he was kicking the dirt with his shoe. It kept getting louder and louder. I balled my hands into fists, irritated by the ever increasing noise.

'Can you stop?' I snapped.

'Only if we talk' He said.

'I don't have anything more to say to you'

'Cam, please. I'm sorry that I got angry at you, it's just...it's just that I care about you, so much, and after everything you told me, a joke about running away just got to me more than I thought. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you'

'I'M FINE!' I shouted

'No you're not!' He spread his arms out wide 'You had a panic attack, Cam. A panic attack over people from your past coming back. _Then_ you shut everybody out. Do you know how worried everyone was when you didn't answer their calls? Everyone thought the worst'

'I needed space'

'Not when you've just told everyone you nearly died' Zach's jaw was tense.

'Oh, I'm sorry, I just didn't think the people I trusted would hold it against me' I snapped

'I'm not holding it against you! I care, Cammie! I care so much'

'You've already said that' I pointed out

'That's because it's true. I care about you Cammie Morgan' His tone was softer, his jaw was less tense, He moved towards me slowly, not trying to scare me off. 'I care that when you're nervous you bite your lip, and when you're focusing really hard, you get a line in the middle of your forehead. Your laugh has become one of my favourite sounds, and your smile makes me smile. Since you've come here, I just can't stop thinking about you.'

'Then why weren't you here this morning? If you really cared, you would have been there in the gymnasium to calm me down or walking to class when Dillion told everyone about me, and instead of you saving me, it was my ex-boyfriend'

'I'm sorry I wasn't there. I just…' Zach sighed 'I didn't know if you wanted to see me today, or any other day for that matter'

'Well I did want to see you' I admitted 'I wanted you to be there because you keep me calm'

'I'm sorry'

'You've said that'

'I mean it' Zach was standing very close to me now. 'I'm sorry Gallagher Girl'

'You're forgiven, _Blackthorne Boy_ '

'Blackthorne Boy?' Zach raised an eyebrow

'You're a boy, you identified Blackthorns. Hence the name Blackthorne Boy'

Zach chuckled as he wrapped his arms around my waist slowly.

'I have never met anyone like you before'

'Is that a good thing?' I asked.

'It's the _best_ thing' Zach tilted his head and leant in for a kiss. I turned my head away and pushed out of his grasp.

'Zach, I'm going to hurt you'

'What do you mean?'

'I'm scared to get close to you because eventually, you will get hurt'

'How do you know that?'

'Because I'm a time bomb, anything good that happened in my life will at some point disappear or I'll screw it up. Like my dad, and Josh and Joe and you'

'You haven't screwed me up-'

'Yet' I interrupted. Zach shook his head.

'The only thing you've done to me is make me crazy. I'm crazy about you Cammie'

'You shouldn't say crazy to a crazy person' I joked, hoping to lighten the mood. Zach smiled.

'You're not crazy'

'No I'm not, I'm absolutely bonkers' I smiled back.

' _Alice in Wonderland_ , good book' Zach nodded

'Great book' I replied

'Fantastic book'

'Amazing'

'Brilliant'

'Superb'

'I want to kiss you' Zach said quickly, so quickly that I didn't register it properly.

'I...um…' Zach gave a massive smirk as he pulled me back against his chest. He then tilted his head and gave me a soft, mellow kiss which I melted into instantly.

'Well, would you look at that?' Zach muttered as we pulled away 'You're no longer panicking'

'I wasn't panicked!' I hit his arm playfully.

'Alright fine, I believe you' Zach smiled 'So, Gallagher Girl' He offered me his hand 'Should we go and face everyone?'

I looked at his hand then trailed my eyes up his arm, across his biceps, over his shoulders, up his neck, along his jawline and the perfect curl of his lips all the way to his glistening eyes.

'Let's do it'

 **Author's note: Zammie are back together! And he's finally Blackthorne Boy! There'll be more Zammie & more Josh coming up in the next few chapters! xxx**

 **Gemmacollins: Love your name by the way! Thank you so much! I'm glad that you're enjoying this too! Zach will be definitely calling him Jimmy! xxx**

 **Thankunext121: I know! I really hate Dillion too! Deedee's going to have a _very_ interesting encounter with Cammie in the next chapter xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: You'll find out more about Josh in the upcoming chapters. Him and Cammie will have several encounters...although Zach might not like it too much...xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Dillion is a little shit. He's honestly such a shit and I wish that Cammie will punch him. I wonder what will happen when the guys meet too! You'll just have to find out soon! Zammie have sorted out their problems...for now...but with Josh being round and bad influences too, will it tip Cammie over the edge. xxx**


	21. Big Bad Wolf

Zach and I began to make our way back across the playing field holding hands. We were talking about goodness knows what, but it was nice to hear him laugh. As we reached the cafeteria, a sudden panic ran through me. I slipped my hand out of Zach's.

'What's wrong?' Zach asked

'We can't go in there holding hands'

'And why not?'

'Because I haven't told Macey first and she's going to kill me if we just walk in' I said quickly

'Okay…' Zach folded his arms 'So tell me the _real_ reason'

Curse him, his good looks and his intuition.

'Everyone is worried about me right now because of people from Gallagher coming to town. I'm worried too; I have this constant bubble of butterflies in my stomach. Then making us official, but I don't know if we're official or whatever, but I'm just…' I took a deep breath 'I need you, Zach, just not holding my hand' I looked up at him, waiting for him to explode. Zach looked away from me, took a deep breath and then looked back at me.

'So we're doing a secret romance then?' His eyes danced with amusement. I rolled my eyes.

'You wish' I said 'But seriously, are you okay with this?' I asked

'Sure' Zach smiled 'As long as I get a second date'

'Deal' I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. I made my way to the cafeteria door 'Are you coming?' I asked.

'Nah, I'll let you go first, I'll follow in a sec' He gave me a wink. I smiled back and made my way through the cafeteria. It was a hive of activity. The social hub of any typical teenage film. I spotted Macey and the others at our usual table, I began to make my way over there when…

'Cammie' Josh seemed to appear from nowhere, he had a smile on his face like we were friends. We're not friends.

'Hey, Josh. How are you finding Roseville?'

'It's going well, thanks. Listen, can we talk?' He asked

'I don't think there's anything else to talk about' I tried to step past him.

'Cam-' Josh tried to reach for me at the same moment a pink explosion came into my eye line.

'Josh!' Deedee exclaimed. She came to his side, giving him a kiss on his cheek. So _that_ was the reason why she hasn't answered any of my calls.

'Deedee?' She noticed me for the first time

'Cammie?' She looked at me carefully 'Oh my gosh! It's so good to see you!' She tried to give me a hug but I stepped back

'So are you two...when did this happen?'

Josh and Deedee looked at each other quickly

'It kinda just happened'

'Right' I didn't believe a word 'Was that before or after I left?' I folded my arms

'When you were in the hospital' Deedee said. I shot daggers at Josh, ready to explode.

'Seriously? Are you fucking kidding me?'

'It's not like that Cam-'

'You were at my bedside every single day, and whilst I was in pain, _you_ and my best friend were getting together'

'No' He narrowed his eyes 'It was nothing like that'

'Then what was it like, Josh? Hm? Have you taken her to _our_ spot?' I turned to Deedee 'Has he told you that you're special to him and that no other girl has made him feel the way you do?' Her eyes dropped in shame. I snorted 'I never realised how stupid you were, Josh. I can't believe I ever liked you'

'You didn't' He snapped 'You were only using me for the drugs!' There is was those words out in the open for all to hear. I could feel all eyes turn to look at me. I hated it. I was under the microscope again. Josh could sense this too. His face dropped, regretting what he just said.

'Cam, I'm sorry' He said

'Is that what you really think?' I replied, the eyes brimming.

'Cam-'

'Does she know about your little secret?' I hissed, feeling the anger build inside me. Josh's eyes widened. He shook his head slightly.

'What secret?' Deedee asked, looking between me and Josh.

'Cam' I felt Macey at my side. Her hand on my shoulder.

'Don't' Josh whispered. This is the second time that I've seen Josh worried about me, worried about what I could do. He knows that whatever I was about to say could not only ruin him but me as well.

'Forget it' I said turning away from Josh and Deedee. 'You're not worth it' I pushed passed him and sat down with my friends. This was turning to hell. Everything that was going right was beginning to fall apart again.

...

My friends sat around the table, not saying anything but communicating through looks. I tried to keep my breathing down.

'Cammie,' Macey began

'I don't want to talk about it' I hissed. Zach casually strode to the table, he placed a tray of food in front of me.

'Eat' He ordered

'I'm not hungry'

'Eat' He said again, there was a look in his eyes. _Eat by yourself or I'll make you_.

I grabbed the apple and took a massive dramatic bite. The corner of Zach's mouth turned upwards into a smile, satisfied that I was eating. As I was chewing, my phone buzzed. It was a text. From Josh.

 _I'm sorry, Cam. I didn't mean to embarrass you. Can we still talk? J x_

I looked up and by chance or fate or dumb stupid luck, my eyes connected with Josh's from across the room. He gave a weak smile and then looked away. Being in the same place as Josh was going to be really hard, even if it's just for a few days.

...

Thankfully, I avoided Josh, Dillion and Deedee for the rest of the day. It wasn't hard. I just tried to avoid eye contact with everyone. Zach waited for me after school. He leant against his motorbike, looking suave and just drop-dead gorgeous. He smiled when he saw me, causing my stomach to flutter slightly.

'Hey, Gallagher Girl'

'Hey, Blackthorne Boy'

'Do you want a ride?' He asked, reaching for his spare helmet.

'Actually, I'm going home with Macey'

'Oh,' He slowly pulled his hand away 'Can I see you later though?'

'We live next door to each other Zach, we'll see each other later' I smiled at him.

'How about for our second date?' He raised an eyebrow.

'Um,' I blushed 'What do you have in mind?'

'If I told you, Gallagher Girl, it wouldn't be much of a surprise' His smile widened and his eyes twinkled mischievously.

'What...what time were you thinking?' I asked

'About 7? I'll come and pick you up' He winked.

'Okay. I'll see you later'

...

Filled with excitement at the prospect of a second date, the journey home was very quick. I was bubbling with excitement ready for our next date. But nothing good ever lasts long in my life. When Macey and I pulled up at my house, there was another car parked outside. It wasn't Joe's, nor was it Abby's. There was also someone sitting on the steps. It was someone I never wanted to see again.

'Cammie, whose car is that?'

'Call Joe, then the police' I said

'What? Cammie?'

'Stay in the car, I've got this.' I leapt out of the car, slamming the door behind me. The person stood up when they say me.

'What the hell are you doing here?' I snapped

'Where is she?' He responded

'Like hell, I'm going to tell you' I hissed 'How the fuck did you find us?'

'That doesn't matter. I need to know where Abby is'

'You've done enough to her. You need to leave' I stood my ground. I've faced far worse than this big bad wolf.

'I'm not going anywhere' He took a step towards me 'Where's Rachel?'

'On her way' I lied 'She's going to tell you the exact same thing'

'Where's Abby?' He tried again, taking another step forward.

'You're drunk' He wasn't too close to me, but I could smell the alcohol seeping off of him. He laughed, a hollow belly laugh.

'How have you been, honey?' He tilted his head looking at me up and down. 'You've grown since last time I saw you'

'That kind of happens when you get older' I quipped. He refused to move. 'I'm not going to tell you where she is, so stop embarrassing yourself and leave'

He took another slow step forward, his face morphed into anger.

'Not till I find out where my wife is' He said slowly

'Ex-wife' I added 'Cause she divorced your sorry ass'

This tipped him over the edge. His hands curled into fists just as another car pulled up.

'Get the hell away from her' Joe shouted. His voice booming.

'Joseph Solomon' He laughed 'What's this? Your turn to shag a sister'

'Get away from her' Joe repeated, his teeth clenched. Joe stood just in front of me, squaring off to a man I once called family. 'You need to leave, Steve' Joe said slowly

'Or what?' He threatened

'The police are on there way' I interjected, knowing that with Joe here, Steve wouldn't hurt me. 'You wouldn't want to arrested for breaking the terms of your restraining order' I looked at my aunt's ex-husband in the eyes. He was a monster that needed to get locked away, not kept back by a court-ordered piece of paper.

'Leave' Joe said once again. Steve laughed.

'So Matthew's barely dead and you're already stepping into his shoes' Steve was taunting Joe, and I was hoping so much that Joe wouldn't rise to the challenge. Thankfully, before anything could happen between these two alpha males, the police showed up.

'What seems to be the problem here?' One of the officers asked. Joe and Steve were still staring at each other.

'That man's breaking the terms of his restraining order' I said quickly. Steve's been given too many changes, he's got away with too much.

'Sir, can you put your hands where we can see them' The officers began to take control of the situation. Joe wrapped his arm around me and pulled me aside. Macey got out of her car and came towards us.

'What the hell was that?' She asked. Macey was shaking. 'Cammie, who was that?'

'Abby's ex' I replied, my eyes never wavering from Steve's figure.

'Him?' Macey was shocked 'Abby married him?'

'Steve was a doctor, a very good one in fact. He toured with Matthew.' Joe said 'Then the PTSD set in and instead of getting help, he turned to drink' He shook his head 'Abby was lucky to get out when she did'

'How did he find us?' I asked, looking up at Joe. He thought for a moment.

'I don't know' He said honestly 'Hopefully because he's drunk, acting erratic, and broke the court order, we won't be hearing from him again'

'How did you get here so quickly?' I asked. Joe didn't answer my question straight away 'You were on your way over here anyway, weren't you?'

'I came to make sure you were okay after today'

'Thanks' I gave a weak smile which Joe returned.

'Sorry to disturb' One of the officers said 'But I need to get a statement from each of you'

Macey looked at me, I looked at Joe.

'How about I make us all some hot chocolate?' He offered. Macey and I nodded. Joe grabbed the keys from his pocket and headed towards the door. He has a key. As Joe reached the front door, he looked back at me, sensing that I would have this reaction. He gave me a brief nod before unlocking the door and inviting the officer in.

Zach pulled up just as the police car carrying Abby's ex drove away.

'I need to call my mom, let her know I'll be late' Macey said, excusing herself as Zach came over.

'Are you okay? What happened?' His eyes darted around, worried at what was happening.

'My aunt's ex-husband came looking for her' I tried to wave it away like it wasn't a big deal

'So why were the police here?' He asked. Ah shit.

'We have a restraining order against him. But nothing happened so we're good. They just need statements from us'

'Do you need me to do anything?'

'No it's fine. I'm going to need a rain check on our date though. Is that okay?'

'Yeah, it's fine. Don't worry about it' Zach sent me one of his signature smirks. 'I'll see you later'

Zach walked back to his house. I could tell that he was upset I just wished he could have just said so.

 **Author's Note: Long chapter today just for you! Cammie's just not having the easiest time, is she? First Josh, then Deedee and now Dr Steve? Ohhh it's the beginning of EVERYTHING! I watched Avengers: ENDGAME last night and I'm deceased. Anyone else seen it? Please, no spoilers for those who haven't seen it. Respect, please. See you all next time xxx**

 **GirafeRosie: Zammie are just so cute! They will be getting better, trust me! Dillion is a dick. Trust me, he will be dealt with. I found it so hard to try and worm in _Blackthorne Boy_ into the story but I found a way...I hope it worked though! Thank you so much! I've got lots planned! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Zammie are together (for now) but it won't be long till something tries to get in the way. Thank you! It was definitely tricky to get the Blackthrone in there and I wanted it to be natural (or semi-natural because these characters are most certainly not). Josh & Zach will have a showdown...mark my words xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: YAY (for now). Zach's respecting Cammie's space right now, but when Josh crosses the line, Zach will be ready... Thank you as always xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you! xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Perhaps...Zach keeps his cards close to his chest though. Always the mysterious one. Finally they are Gallagher Girl & Blackthorne Boy. Order is restored to the Zammie universe. xxx**


	22. Spiralling

I didn't sleep much that night. I kept tossing and turning, reliving once happy memories of a tight family. My mom, my dad, me, Joe, Abby and Steve. This was before Steve turned to drink. I still remember Abby showing up at our house, crying her eyes out whilst nursing a black eye. My dad and Joe then went to deal with Steve. I was sent to bed. Around that time, there was a lot of raised voices and words my young ears were not meant to hear. Abby stayed around a lot, which was nice because we could spend more time together, but annoying because I had to give up my bed. Yet I'd do it again in a heartbeat for family.

Joe decided to stay round, he slept on the sofa. Mom insisted that he didn't have to stay, but after what happened one particular night involving Steve, it's best to take precautions.

Knowing that sleep was not going to come easily, I checked my phone. There were no messages. I really needed to talk to someone, anyone. Immediately my mind drifted to Zach and Macey, but if I called them, then I'd have to explain everything, and it's too long and too raw to say. Macey knows some of the truth, but not all of it. My finger hovered over the dial button of one particular number. I bit my lip, biting the bullet, and dialled. It rung several times before it clicked.

'Hello?' The groggy voice on the other end answered

'Hey, it's me'

'Cammie? Are you okay?'

'I'm fine, I just need someone to talk to'

'What's wrong?' He asked, his voice laced with sympathy

'Wrong? Why does something have to be wrong for me to phone my ex-boyfriend at 3 in the morning?' I tried to laugh it off. This was stupid, I shouldn't have called Josh.

'Well, last time you phoned me at this time was when you needed your next fix. So instead, tell me what's wrong?' He cared, I could tell in his voice. I took a deep breath.

'Steve was at my house today'

'Dr Steve? Abby's ex?'

'Yeah'

'Jez, Cammie, are you okay?'

'I think so. We called the police and they dealt with it. It's just that he found us, and if he could find us then-'

'Abby's safe, Cam' Josh was calm. He couldn't possibly know where she was or what she was doing or _if_ she was safe. Yet there was something in his tone that made me believe him; trust him even.

'I know but-'

'She's safe. You're safe. History will not repeat itself'

'How do you know that?'

'Because you're Cameron Morgan, and you're stronger than that' There was truth in his voice, he believed every word he just said.

'Cam, I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean what I said'

'I'm sorry too. I know that it's your secret to tell. I shouldn't have held it against you'

'It's fine' I could imagine him waving it away

'Are you still using?' I asked. I was met by silence 'Josh…'

'Not every soul can be saved, Cam. You taught me that' He snapped. I sighed, my heart breaking for the sweet boy I once knew.

'If the school found out you're using enhancement drugs to help you play football, then you'll be expelled! No college will touch you with a barge pole!'

'Let me lead my life, Cam!' He hissed 'You were smart and saved yourself. I don't want to drag you back down.'

'Josh…'

'Night, Cam' Then he hung up. I stared at my phone, feeling the tears fall down my face. Whilst my pain was broadcasted for the world to see, Josh was suffering in silence. The pressure of being perfect was too much for him so he did something dangerous and reckless. And I can't help but think that his fall from grace was all my fault.

...

At school, things seemed to settle down. People from my old school who passed me in the corridor would say hello and ask me how I was. It was a polite conversation. Nothing too serious. I somehow managed to avoid seeing Josh all day, though part of me wished I could see him.

'Cammie?' Macey broke my train of thought. We were at lunch, surrounded by all my friends.

'Hm?'

'I asked you about what happened last night. Was everything okay?'

'Uh yeah, mom came home and we phoned our lawyer in D.C. We then phoned Abby to tell her. She didn't give too much away, like always' I quickly ate a few fries, hoping to stop the conversation.

'How did it go with Joe?' She asked 'There was so much tension between you both, I could cut it with a knife' I stopped chewing for a moment. Curse Macey for seeing everything. 'Did you guys talk properly?'

'We talked a little' I said, skating around the subject 'He stayed over. Mom said he didn't have to, but secretly I think she was glad he did'

'Did anything... _happen_...between your parents & Joe?' I didn't expect Macey to come out and say that. Yet, by the way, she was watching me, I got the impression that she'd been thinking about it for some time.

'What do you mean?' I tried to swallow.

'It's just…' Macey bit her lip thinking 'I mean, doesn't it seem strange that Joe just completely vanished on you and your family? There has to be a reason'

 _There is._ I thought. _I'm just too stubborn to compromise and talk to Joe._

Thankfully, before Macey could take the conversation further. Bex and the others arrived.

'I cannot bloody believe you went to the same school as those pompous, pretentious assholes' Bex slammed her tray on the table.

'Good afternoon to you too' Macey quipped. Bex sent daggers at her then turned to me.

'Those people you went to school with are so up themselves that that might as well be swinging from the flagpole!'

'What do you expect from the _Gallagher Academy for the exceptionally gifted and talented_?' Macey teased. I threw a fry at her.

'They aren't all bad' I don't know why I was defending them, but I was.

'They are far, far worse!' Bex muttered.

'Can someone please explain what's going on?' Macey asked

'Three girls ganged up on Liz in the hallway. They pushed passed her and she dropped all of her books _plus_ her calculator broke when it hit the ground' Jonas had his arm around Liz's shoulder. She was silent, staring at the table.

'I told them to fucking apologise' Bex snapped 'And guess what they did? They fucking laughed and walked away'

'Who was it?' I asked. Jonas scanned the room. He then looked back down.

'Those three at the far table' he said. I casually glanced over. I knew what table he meant. It was the table full of rowdy hormonal teens who don't want to be stuck in a small town like Roseville. Without even having to think about it, I knew who Jonas was talking about.

'Anna, Eva and Mick' I muttered

'You know them?' Liz looked up at me, her voice small. I gave her an apologetic smile.

'Yeah, they were my friends on the track team'

'Well, they're mean' Liz's voice quivered.

'There are bad people in the world Liz. Some of them wear checkered skirts' I replied. I glanced back over to the table. Last year I would have been sitting with them, last year I owned the hallways, last year I was popular, last year I had Josh, and last year I was sitting right in the middle of the table. And now, it's Deedee.

'Hey guys' Grant and Zach slid into the remaining seats. Grant next to me and Zach opposite me. 'What's been going on?'

'Oh, the usual' Macey reached across and took one of my fries 'Just judging Cammie on her life choices, particularly her choice in friends'

'You mean us?' Grant looked at me carefully with wide eyes.

'No. Barbie one, two and three sitting pretty over there' Bex angled her head to the far table.

'Wow,' Grant muttered.

' _Wow_?' Bex narrowed her eyes at Grant 'You look at them and you say _wow_?'

'Abort, abort' Zach muttered.

'I didn't...I...I'

We all laughed as Grant tripped over his own words.

'Cammie?' The laughter died down with the voice coming from behind. I spun round to see Josh, standing there awkwardly. 'Can we talk?'

'I don't have anything to say to you' I said quietly

'Please? I want to apologise for last night' I cringed knowing that all eyes at our table were focused on me. I could feel the daggers coming from Zach & Macey.

'Josh, it's fine. There's nothing else to say'

'Cam…' There was something more to his tone. Something unsure that didn't match his usual calm self.

'Sure' I nodded standing up slowly. I shot Macey an _I'll tell you about this later_ look. I then glanced at Zach, but he wasn't looking at me. His head was down towards his food, his jaw tense.

I led Josh out of the canteen towards the field. We began to slowly walk around.

'I can see why you decided to move around here. It's a lot quieter compared to D.C'

'What do you want, Josh?' I stopped, causing him to stop too. He bit his lip, looking away and then back to me.

'I got offered a scholarship to Georgetown' He said.

'Oh,' I felt my heart sink. Josh knew how much I loved Georgetown, he know it was my dream, my dad's dream.

'I haven't told anyone yet' He scratched his head 'I swiped the letter before we came out here'

'What are you going to do?' I asked. Josh sighed.

'I don't know. It's a full football scholarship, Cam. _Full scholarship_ '

'So what's stopping you from accepting?' I knew the answer before I asked the question. And the look Josh was giving me told me he knew as well. 'I haven't heard from them yet' I said

'You'll get in. You definitely will'

'Josh…'

'And if you get in, you're going to accept because that's your dream and that's where you dad went and-'

'Josh…'

'Then it's all left for me to decide and I haven't heard from the others, so I probably won't get them and then I'll be stuck at the pharmacy with my dad, useless and-

'ENOUGH' I shouted. He was spiralling. It takes a spiraler to know a spiraler.

Josh began to shake slightly, it wasn't cold...it was from something else.

'Josh…' I said slowly 'When did you have your last fix?' I bit my lip not wanting to know the answer.

'Four days ago at last practice. I'm saving it for tonight'

'Josh' I sighed. This was a broken record. It was useless.

'There's a party tonight, after the game. You should come'

'Josh…' I tried once more but the bell then rang.

'I got to go, Cam' He flashed me a quick smile and began to walk away. 'Are you coming to the game?'

'Yeah'

'Cool. I'll be looking out for you' He called over his shoulder.

'Shouldn't you be looking for Deedee?' I pointed out. He ignored me.

'I've still got the same jersey. Do you remember the number?' He called back

'I remember' I said.

'Don't forget about the party!' He called once more. Before I could reply, Josh was already lost in the sea of students moving to the next class.

 **Author's note: Ohhh so Cammie and Josh have had an intense conversation, and we now know that Josh was taking drugs in the past and is still taking them now. Will Cammie say anything? What will Macey and Zach think about this? Does Deedee know? Find out more next week xxx**

 **Gold: Thank you so much! Josh is an absolute jerk, you're right. xxx**

 **Thankunext121: Cammie just never seems to catch a break, and it's only about to get worse for her... xxx**

 **gymnast1150: YAY you're back! Josh's outburst came from a place of anger and shock. I genuinely don't think that he really feels that way about her, but he's hurting too. What do you think about Josh's secret? Cammie knows too much about Josh and part of me thinks that she's holding back because she hopes that he can still be saved. Cammie's life just hasn't had the easiest time. I think that Rachel has just experienced a lot of heartbreak and her overbearingness is just being protective, she doesn't want Cammie to hurt like she has. When Abby married Steve he wasn't drunk but after an accident, he changed. Deedee is a bitch...and when she's drunk...well, you'll find out soon *wink* *wink*. Thank you so much as always! I can't wait for you to update *a not so subtle wink wink ;)* xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Cammie & Zach will return to normal & romantic & normal once Josh & all the secrets are out of the way xxx**

 **4EverAGallagherGirl: No worries! I'm glad that you're back too! I hope everything is going good in your life. I can't wait to share the next update too! xxx**


	23. Red, Steamy & Smelly

Josh was using. Josh had never stopped using. I was clean. I was healthy. I was moving on.

I made my way to class, like everyone else. All the conversations and arguments I had with Josh over this topic came back to me, swarming me from all directions. I should be moving on, I shouldn't get involved but somehow I wanted to help. I've always wanted to help.

Zach didn't talk or look at me in English. I tried to catch his eye on several occasions but he just didn't look at me. Even once the bell went, Zach gathered up his belongings quickly and hastily made his way towards the door.

'Zach!' I called after him in the hallway but he just stormed ahead. I weaved my way through the crowd of people trying to catch up with him.

'Zach!' I tried once more but he disappeared into the boys' locker room. I stopped outside the door, my blood boiling with the fact that he was ignoring me. I bit my lip deciding what to do next. _Don't be a coward, Cammie_. I said to myself. I checked the corridor which had quickly emptied out.

'Screw it!' I muttered to myself and walked straight into the boys' locker room.

...

It was exactly how you would imagine it to be. Every teen drama that features a locker room was _exactly_ like this. Red, steamy, smelly….and FULL OF BOYS.

'Oh,' I muttered. All eyes turned on me. All eyes that were connected to shocked faces and semi-naked bodied. 'Um...sorry!' I quickly turned around

'Cammie?' Zach came in front of me, his jaw was tight. 'What are you doing in here?'

'I came to speak to you' I tried not to look at his abs (I mean they were...wow).

'Can it wait?' He snapped. I narrowed my eyes at him.

'No, it can't' I folded my arms refusing to move. Zach rolled his eyes and leant behind me to pick up his shirt. He then grabbed my arm at the elbow and pulled me outside into the quiet hallway.

'What do you want?' He folded his arms

'Why are you ignoring me?' I asked. He rolled his eyes

'Maybe it's something to do with the fact that you saw your ex last night instead of me?'

'I didn't see him' I said 'I-' I stopped myself from speaking. I was on the verge of opening a humongous can of worms. This would not end well.

'What did you do instead? He came to your window professing his undying love?'

'No!' I shook my head 'We just…' I sighed 'I called him'

'Why?'

'Because…because there was something I had to talk to him about'

'Like what?' He asked. I shook my head.

'Zach, there's some stuff about me that's hard to talk about'

'But not with your ex?' He raised an eyebrow. I slumped back against the wall.

'My aunt Abby got married in a shotgun Vegas wedding' I began 'The man she married, Steve, was a guy my dad knew. They were friends in the army, each of them fell for a sister, at different times of course. Abby and Steve were married within 10 months of dating; I was….10? Maybe 11? I can't remember exactly. All I really remember was the Elvis impersonator' I chuckled a little at the memory

'They were happy at the beginning of their marriage. Then Steve went on deployment again and there was an accident. We never found out exactly what happened, but Steve came back with PTSD. He turned to alcohol to help him. That's when he became violent. Abby would show up at all hours of the day crying and covered in unexplained bruises. After spending a week on our sofa, Abby finalised for divorce and got a restraining order. Steve went away for a while, then he started showing up at my school, waiting for me after track practice' I wound my arms tightly around me

'He was always drunk, always demanding to see Abby, that he loved her and missed her. I told my parents about it and we warned the school. He went away for a while again' I took a deep breath 'Abby was meant to pick me up after practice one day. I waited for a while and she still wasn't there. I called her and then it rang nearby. I moved over to investigate and…' I could feel the tears forming. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to suppress the memory

'Abby was in intensive care for three weeks. She had a severe concussion, a broken eye socket, several broken ribs, a collapsed lung and some internal bleeding' I looked up at Zach who was watching me with sad eyes 'I was the one that found her. I was the one that called 911 and tried to keep her conscious. I was the one to tell the hospital all her details. I was the one who also identified Steve in the police line up' I didn't notice Zach was standing right in front of me until I felt his hand on my cheek, wiping away the tears. I guess I was crying.

'He was at your house?' Zach's voice was raw, full of anger, sympathy and hurt.

'He managed to find us somehow' I shook my head 'He's done that once before when my dad was alive, but he wasn't allowed into the house'

'Has he ever hurt you?' Zach asked.

'No' I said 'I mean he got close...once. I was home studying and he broke in through the back door. Luckily Josh was there. Josh kept him away with a baseball bat long enough for me to call the police. I hadn't told anyone at school about Steve but after that drunken visit, I had to tell Josh' I placed my hand on top of Zach's. 'I have baggage, Zach. Tons of it. I also have lots of secrets and sometimes it's easier to keep them bottled up and to tell people when I'm ready' I took his hand away 'Macey doesn't know about it. She knows that Abby was married and it was a messy separation, but she doesn't know all the details. There's only a handful of people who know.'

'Why are you telling me this?' Zach stroked my cheek.

'I want to tell you everything. I just…' I sighed and closed my eyes allowing myself to get lost in the feeling of Zach's hand on my cheek. 'I will tell you everything, just in my own time. I need you to trust that I _will_ tell you everything. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but at some point, I will. No more silent treatment, please?' I opened my eyes to see a smirk tugging at his lips.

'I promise not to give you the silent treatment...if you and I become exclusive'

My mouth dropped open. Zach took this opportunity to lean down & kiss me quickly.

'So what do you say, Gallagher Girl?' He kissed me again. After recovering from the shock, I wound my arms around his neck pulling him closer into me. Zach smiled against my lips and snaked his arms around my waist. We kept kissing until we were interrupted by a cough. Zach and I jumped back from each other and turned to face the figure at the end of the corridor.

'Shit'

 **Author's note: Ohhhh soooooo Zammie is now official! Yay! But they were spotted kissing! Boo! But by who? What do you think about Abby's backstory? (She will appear in this story at some point). I'm really looking forward to the next few chapter! xxx**

 **Gold: This Josh is very different from story Josh. He really is looking out for himself. Thank you for your support xxx**

 **Alecks454: I low-key like it too. This is a different side to Cammie & a different side to Josh. Something I've never really done before. xxx**

 **Smiles180: Cammie is good at keeping secrets close to her chest but this one may be too hard to keep hidden...but who will she tell first? xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Josh's secret lies in the hands of Cammie and whether or not she decides to say anything. How do you feel that Cammie and Zach being official? There will be things in the way before Cammie reveals her relationship. But what secret will come out first, Zammie or Josh? xxx**

 **ALLY CARTER 4 EVER: Zach really doesn't like Josh. All will be explained soon. I don't know how many chapters there will be, I'm just going with the flow. xxx**


	24. This Is The Game

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. SHIT!

There I was, in front of the boys' locker room, with Zach (whom I just made out with) and along the corridor was a nightmare walking. Not Macey, not Joe, not Deedee and most definitely not Josh. It was…

'Dillion' I exhaled

'By all means, don't stop because of me' He grinned an all-knowing smile. He was going to tell Josh. Why does it matter though? I mean Josh has moved on and so have I...right?

'Are you coming to the party tonight?' He asked

'Why do you care?' I snapped. Dillion held his hands up.

'I'm just curious. Especially after what happened last time, remember?' He winked. I shivered. I did remember and I wish I could forget. Dillion turned ready to leave, he then stopped and looked at Zach. 'You might want to wash your mouth out, you don't know where she's been' Zach took a step forward, his fists clenched. I grabbed his arm stopping him. Dillion chuckled and walked off, whistling to himself.

'I want to punch him' Zach muttered

'You'll have to get in line' I sighed. I turned back to Zach. 'Ignore him, he's a jackass'

'Were you friends with him?' Zach raised an eyebrow. I shook my head.

'He's Josh's best friend, they grew up together. Dillion has never liked me...well, only when I'm drunk'

'Drunk?' Zach's eyes widened. I rolled my eyes

'Don't tell me that you've never got a little tipsy before?'

'Are you kidding?' He smirked 'This is Roseville, Cam. There aren't many places that we can use fake IDs' I opened my mouth but Zach cut me off ' _If_ we had fake IDs, which we don't'

'So you've never had an underage drink?' It was my turn to be surprised. I mean, I'm not an alcoholic, but almost every party in Washington had booze.

'Oh I have, but it's mainly at Macey's with the others. Her parents are chill about it as long as we don't break anything'

'Once my family spent the New Year with the McHenry's and her dad gave us a shot glass full of red wine, we spent the whole evening drinking it and acting drunk. Turns out, it was cranberry juice' Zach chuckled.

'You are full of surprises' He stepped closer to me.

'Is that a good thing?' I asked. Zach smirked

'It's the best thing' He held my hand and gave me a quick kiss. 'I better get back before coach notices. Are you going to watch?' Zach seemed suddenly nervous like I was going to run a mile.

'Jonas has reserved my usual seat' I smiled. Zach smiled too.

'I'm really looking forward to the game. It's going to give us a boost before the season starts up' Zach was happy. A little bit of doubt landed in my stomach.

'Just stay clear of Josh, okay?' I said. Zach's smile faltered

'What do you mean?' He asked.

'Just...just stay clear of him. Tell Grant too. I don't want either of you getting hurt'

Zach opened his mouth to say something when the boys' locker room door opened and Grant poked his head around the door.

'Zach, come on' He called.

'I'll see you later, Zach' I gave him a wave as I walked towards the bleachers with everyone else.

...

Jonas had reserved my usual space next to me. He greeted me with a massive smile when I approached.

'Hey!' He said 'I've got a hot chocolate for you. Extra cream and marshmallows, just the way you like it'

'Thanks Jonas' I accepted the warm cup and sunk into the seat next to him 'I really appreciate it'

'No worries' He adjusted his glasses. 'You've had a hard week. I thought this might cheer you up'

'Completely' I smiled 'Thank you'

It was around 10 minutes later that Bex & Liz joined us.

'We've got pretzels for you guys' Bex handed us our food.

'Thanks, girls!'

'So where's mine?' We all turned to see Macey standing at the end of the row.

'Really?' Bex raised her eyebrow ' _This_ is the game you attend?'

Macey shrugged.

'I feel like there's going to be so much drama tonight! Why on Earth would I miss that?' A smirk graced her lips.

The band began to play. Everyone was settling into their seats. The crowds were beginning to cheer as the players emerged.

'LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BOYS AND GIRLS, GIVE A WARM WELCOME TO THE ROSEVILLE RANGERS AND THE GALLAGHER GLADIATORS!' The announcer announced.

'WHOOOO' Everyone cheered.

I watched as the Roseville Rangers made their way onto the field in the classic, good old American style, through a paper banner (which will be recycled after the game, because you know, save the planet). I could pick out Zach and Grant right away. Then the Gallagher Gladiators came out and I held my breath. I spotted Dillion and Josh straight away too; they were the ones who were psyching themselves out. My heart sank slightly; they'd taken steroids, they were cheating. I could have stopped them, but I didn't.

...

Roseville lost. We lost by 4 touchdowns. All of them scored by Josh. Roseville felt defeated, there was numb energy around us.

'That was close' Jonas took his glasses off and wiped them. 'The guys are going to be so annoyed'

'You could have warned us about how good they were Cam' Bex nudged me 'Especially whoever number 47 is. I mean, he took down Grant in that tackle _hard_ and Grant's almost twice his size'

I winced. It was a painful tackle. Grant had to be seen by a medic briefly. It was horrible. Everyone had been muttering, trying to work out who it was. I knew that number, I'd worn that number on the back of my jersey. That was Josh's number.

We all made our way to the parking lot. We were right near Macey's car when…

'CAMMIE!' Deedee squealed, waving from across the parking lot.

'Save yourselves' I muttered to the others, plastering on a fake smile.

'That was such a good game tonight!' Deedee clapped her hands 'Josh has always been the star player. His touchdowns today were just amazing! If we didn't have him, goodness knows what would have happened'

'You would have lost, clearly' Bex rolled her eyes, immune to Deedee's fakery. Deedee laughed it off, a high pitched laugh that would look cute for a 6-year-old, not a 17-year-old.

'Are you coming to the party?' She asked 'I know that all us girls miss you, and we're _dying_ for a catch up'

'I don't know, Dee' I waved it away

'Come on!' She begged 'You just _have_ to come'

'Count me in' Macey stood next to me 'Any excuse for a party' She shrugged

'Fab! I'll send you the address! Bye!' Deedee walked away, towards my old friends who were impatiently waiting.

'Macey, you really don't want to go to their party' I turned to her

'Why not?' Macey raised her eyebrow, challenging me to confide in her. I opened my mouth and shut it again.

'Anyone else want to come?' I asked.

'We'd love to, but Liz and I had German debate group in the morning so we're heading home. See you all tomorrow' Jonas and Liz left.

'I'm down' Bex said 'I assume there'll be alcohol?'

'If you can name it, they'll have it' It wasn't something to be proud of or something I was trying to make sound impressive. But to a little town girl like Bex, it was a big deal.

Soon after the guys came out. Zach's looked fine, but Grant looked like he'd puke.

'Are you okay?' Bex asked. Zach shook his head.

'He said he feels sick and faint. Coach said I should take him to the hospital, it could be a mild concussion, but I only have my bike'

'I'll take him' Bex pulled one of Grant's arms over her shoulder 'You can follow us on your bike'

'Do you want us to come with you?' I asked, hoping to get out of the party. Bex shook her head.

'We should be fine. Go and enjoy your party'

'Party?' Zach raised his eyebrow

'It's a Gallagher party' I tried to dismiss it, nothing for him to worry about 'Macey's coming with me, just for a little while'

'Have fun' Zach looked at me carefully 'Stay safe. I'll only be a call away'

'Jez, Zach. When did you become so protective?' Macey teased. Zach smirked at her.

'Come on McHenry, you know I care about you. Remember what happened last time we drunk at yours?' He retorted. Macey's smile dropped. 'Exactly' Zach nodded 'Take care girls' He gave me one last lingering look before walking away.

'What happened last time?'' I turned to Macey

'I'll tell you my secret if you tell me yours'

 **Author's note: Hello, hello, hello! I'm so sorry for there not being an update last week, my laptop crashed and I lost a lot of my coursework and some videos I've been editing so that took priority to fix. But it's all sorted now! YAY! Soooo what do you think about this chapter? Dillion was the one that caught Zammie kissing, Cam then warned Zach to stay away from Josh, and now Cammie's off to a party! Wooo! A lot of drama will happen in the next chapter where secrets will be revealed... see you all next week xxx**

 **Cdgrinnel: Thank you so much! It was Dillion that interrupted them. But what will Josh's reaction be when he finds out? Will he care? xxx**

 **Guest: Ohhh that's interesting. I do get what you mean about her using Zach as a shield but I don't think he's a backup plan for her, I think she's still trying to get her life in order before she can pursue anything with Zach.**

 **BettyConfetty: Thank you so much! xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: I'm so happy they're official too! Do you think it's more awkward that Dillion found them kissing or if Josh found them kissing? Hope you like this chapter! What're your predictions for the party? xxx**

 **Zachgoodet: HEY! I've missed your reviews and I'm glad to see you back! xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: Zach _really_ doesn't like Josh. Cammie's surprising herself at this point, she obviously cares so much about Zach that she'll go straight into the locker room without thinking. Zammie will be back to their cute selves soon! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Cammie's going to be letting go of some secrets in the next chapter, could _that_ secret be one of them? Zammie is official and is about to be really, really cute! See you next time xxx**


	25. Morgan Meltdown

**Cammie POV**

The car was unbearably tense. There was no music blasting, unusual for the self-proclaimed lip-sync champion like Macey. There was an overbearing force above us, Macey wanted to know my secrets and I so desperately wanted to tell her, but it's hard. I took a deep breath. _Get over yourself, Cammie. You can trust her._

'Do you remember that time your parents invited us over for a barbecue but we canceled last minute and never gave a reason why?' I began

'Yeah…'

'We were at the police station. Steve had come by the house whilst my parents were out. He was drunk and threatened me. Josh was there. Josh stopped him'

'Oh, Cammie! I'm so sorry'

'I just can't believe Steve found us again. I mean we've been so careful...I phoned Josh that night, just because he understood. He knew what Steve was capable of...he knew what he _nearly_ did. If Josh wasn't around I probably still would have phoned him...for the connection, you know? It didn't mean anything, it was just talking. I didn't want to phone him but he's always in-'

'Cam, I get it' Mackey interrupted 'You can talk to me about your dad without hesitation, sometimes without you realising it yourself. But when other people bring it up, you freeze. Don't worry about it'

'Thanks' I sank into my seat. A small portion of the weight I've been carrying lifted.

'Josh got an offer from Georgetown' I said 'that's what he wanted to talk about at lunch'

'Isn't Georgetown _your_ dream?' Macey gave me a sidewards glance

'Yep,' I popped the _p_.

'So why did he apply if he knew it was your dream?' She asked. I shrugged.

'They have an amazing sports program. He got a full football scholarship'

'I'm not surprised, considering how he played today' a twist of guilt shot through me. _He doesn't deserve it_.

'So what about you?' Macey asked 'Have you heard from them?'

I shook my head.

'I withdrew my track scholarship'

'Why would you do that?' Macey glanced at me like I said that _Chanel_ and _Walmart_ were the same things.

'After dad died, I gave up running. Plus when we moved, I didn't think Roseville High would submit a team at nationals'

'You never know, you could be a Roseville High first'

'It's fine. Anyway, I don't know if I want to go to college anymore. I might go traveling. Rome seems like a good place'

'But it's your dream, Cam!'

'There are always two things in life that change; dreams and people' I turned to the window. Another secret left to go. We pulled up outside the party. It was a house belonging to one of the Roseville players, he decided to invite everyone plus the Gallagher group.

'I kissed Zach' I looked at my hands, not at Macey. Worried about what she would say. What I didn't expect was for her to start laughing.

'Thank Fuck!' She exhaled, flopping back into her seat. 'FINALLY!'

'I'm sorry, what?' I raised my eyebrows. Macey smirked

'Honey, I know about you two. I've known for a while'

'You...you have?'

'The funfair was a dead give away that you two liked each other, and then after the Ferris wheel ride, you both couldn't wipe that damn smile off of your faces. It wasn't hard for me to put two and two together' She shrugged

'So you're not mad?'

'Why would I be? I'm happy for you both'

'I mean the fact that I didn't tell you right away' I said. Macey paused for a moment.

'Yeah, I'm a little mad. But you have your reasons. And besides, you always tell me...eventually' She checked her reflection in the mirror and glossed her lips once more 'Come on its party time'

...

The party was in full swing when we arrived. There was music blaring, people dancing, girls flirting and drinks being shared.

'Do you want a drink?' Macey asked.

'No I'm good thanks'

'Fair enough'

Macey and I made our way through the crowd towards the backyard where there the majority of people seemed to have been. It just seems to be my stupid luck because the moment I stepped outside, Josh turned around, a smile on his face.

'You made it!' He tried to hug me but I dodged him.

'We were invited by the host' I tried not to roll my eyes.

'Right, well, I'm glad that you're here'

'So where's your girlfriend?' Macey interjected. I bit the inside of my cheeks. Josh looked nervous, he scratched the back of his neck.

'She's...around' He said. I tried not to glance at Macey, knowing that she'd be looking at me.

'I'm going to get a drink' Macey excused herself from the conversation. I looked at her quickly and she shot me an _I'll be back really soon_ look.

'Camm-'

'I seriously don't want to talk to you, Josh. There's _nothing_ to say' I turned away from Josh making my way through the crowd.

'Hey Morgan' Dillion shouted 'Wanna play?' He gestured to the beer pong they were setting up.

'I'm good thanks' I replied, turning away. Coming here was a bad idea.

'Why not? Don't tell me you're a chicken' Dillion started clucking like a chicken. People around started laughing.

'Grow up Dillion' I rolled my eyes

'Or what?' Dillion taunted 'Come on Cameron, let's do it. We'll make it...interesting'

There were a few ohhhhs from the crowd. I turned around.

'You win, I will do whatever you want' He said

'And if you win?' I was rising to the challenge, stupid but satisfying.

'You know what I want' He winked, causing a shiver to roll down my spine. I knew exactly what he wanted. The crowd was staring at me. They were a mixture of old and new faces. I had a legacy to live up to and a name to make for myself. A slippery slope on both accounts.

'Alright' I approached the table 'Best of 5' Dillion laughed

'Do you think I'm a chump, Morgan? Best to 10. Let's hope you're as good as taking alcohol as you were with painkillers'

'Ohhh' from the crowd. I put my hair into a ponytail, pulling it tight.

'Cammie, what's going on?' Macey came beside me, a look of concern present on her face.

'Move over sparkles, it's an adult's game' Dillion snapped at Macey. Macey gritted her teeth ready to snap. I placed my hand on her shoulder.

'Mace, let me do this' I whispered. She raised an eyebrow wondering if my head was screwed on right. She shook her head.

'I hope you know what you're doing' She sighed

'I hope so too' I replied. I turned back to the table and picked up the first ping pong ball. I aimed and threw. It landed in the cup. A small cheer came from the Gallagher people. Dillion took the cup and drunk it. He wiped his mouth dramatically. He then took his shot. It landed in a cup. I glanced up at him, a smirk across his face. I took my cup, drinking the liquid as it burned my throat. _Game On._

 _..._

It was neck and neck going into the last game. There were four shots left. Two each. Both of us were decidedly drunk. I was finding it harder and harder to focus on the cups. Pretty much everyone in the party was watching, the music had stopped, all focus was on the game. Dillion made his shot and the ball bounced right into the cup, not hitting the rim at all. I groaned as I swallowed yet more burning alcohol. I shook my head readying myself for the next shot.

'You know Morgan, I've missed you' Dillion said right before I was about to take my shot.

'Oh yeah, why's that?'

'I missed your hot mom' He smirked. I narrowed my eyes and took my shot, right in the cup. Dillion was beginning to sway, yet he was still composed when he threw the ball.

He made his next shot but it missed. This gave me some hope.

I took a few deep breaths, focusing on the last cup. Maybe I was wrong about Dillion being the one swaying. I was. I could feel my weight shift around. Macey was on the edge of the table, her eyes growing more and more concerned as the game ran on.

'Did you know that Josh never liked you?' Dillion said 'He always complained about you. Said you were trash. Just like your dad'

'Don't you dare talk about my father' I hissed

'Or what?' Dillion taunted 'He's dead, Cam. He never got the chance to see the kind of failure you turned out to be' He laughed 'You'll end up like him. Dead and alone' I gritted my teeth and took my shot, using all the anger in my body to fuel my movement. I waited and waited, and it sunk into the cup. I had won.

All my peers from Roseville started to congratulate me, some from Gallagher too. Dillion stared at the cup in disbelief.

'You're wrong, Dillion' I began 'I'm not going to be like my dad. I'm going to be better. I wish I could say the same for you. Now, to my wish' I clasped my hands together and slowly made my way across the table, keeping my steps as straight as possible, until I stood directly in front of Dillion. 'Stay the hell away from me. And if you don't, then remember that I know _all_ your secrets. Now, fuck off' I hissed. Dillion stared down at me, puffing out his chest for a moment. He cursed under his breath and walked away. I sighed heavily. Another weight off my shoulder.

'You are unbelievable!' Macey was a blur in front of me. Was she proud or angry? I couldn't tell, the alcohol was making things fuzzy...and the thing is... I liked it.

'I need another drink' I said moving off (more like stumbling) towards the kitchen

'I think you've had enough' Macey placed her hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off.

'Weren't you the one to say that we needed to have fun?' I spread my arms wide open 'I'm having so much fun, Macey!' I made it into the kitchen and sloppily poured myself another drink. 'Come on' I dangled the drink under her nose 'You know you want it'

'No' Macey moved my hand

'Come on Mace, I'm celebrating! I won beer pong and dickhead Dillion is out of my life for good! Whoooo!' I glugged the drink in one go, wincing at the last. 'I want to dance' I jumped off of the kitchen island I was sitting on and pulled Macey along with me.

'Dance Macey! Like we used to in all those hotel rooms during the campaign tour!' I began to dance to the beat.

'Cam, you're drunk. It's time to go home' She tried to grab my wrist but it was my turn to pull away

'I don't want to go home' I whined 'I don't want my mom judging me on another _Morgan Meltdown_. Meltdown? Meltdooooooown' I giggled 'That's a funny word'

Macey pulled out her phone. Panic sliced through me. I grabbed both her wrists tightly.

'Cammie, you're hurting me' She said

'Don't call the police' I snapped 'I can't disappoint my dad again' I felt the hot flush of tears sting my eyes.

'I wasn't-' Macey took a deep breath 'I'll be back in one minute Cam. You stay here, promise?'

'Promise' I released Macey's arms. She wasn't going to call the police, good.

Macey disappeared through the house whilst I kept dancing. I don't know how long I was dancing for, but after a while, my feet began to hurt, and Macey had been gone _a lot_ longer than a minute. I made my way through the tidal of bodies until I made it to the front yard.

The cold air hit my body, cooling me instantly. I checked my pockets realising that Macey had my phone. Great.

I sat on the little bench by the front door and closed my eyes for a moment of peace. But the universe _once again_ doesn't allow me that.

'Guess you haven't changed _that_ much' I opened my eyes to see Deedee leaning against the wall, her arms crossed and her eyes fiery.

'What do you mean?' I asked. Deedee rolled her eyes.

'Still the same Cameron Ann Morgan, trying to make it all about _herself_. You can't just function without the spotlight being on you. It's pathetic'

'You have no idea what you're talking about Deedee' I stood up, hoping to get away from her.

'Oh really? You made sure that _all_ the boys at Gallagher knew your name, your face, and your tricks. And just now, the way you were dancing with those Roseville boys...ha! You're no quarterback, but you're definitely playing the field'

'You've been drinking' I dismissed her. I stumbled down the few stairs hoping to find Macey on my own.

'You're a slut, Cammie. You're an attention seeking whore!' Deedee shouted after me.

'Deedee!' Josh's voice emerged from the door. He looked angry and surprisingly sober. 'I think it's best if you go inside' He turned to her.

'Seriously? You're defending _her? Still?_ After everything, she's done to you?'

'Deedee-'

'Save it' She snapped. Deedee turned to me 'You win. Again. I hope you're happy' She then turned on her heels, pushed past Josh and disappeared into the house. I wrapped my arms around me feeling very cold, and not just from the weather.

'I'm sorry about Deedee, she doesn't quite know how to handle her drink' He scratched the back of his head nervously

'Still doesn't excuse her behavior' I said, turning away. _Come on, Macey._

'What did Dillion want?' Josh asked

'What?' I looked back at him

'Beer pong. Dillion said that you _know_ what he wanted. So what was that?'

'It doesn't matter' I said.

'Yes, it does' He took a step forward 'Did you and him…'

'Oh my God!' I snapped 'You're delusional if you think I'd ever do something with _him_ ' I gagged.

'So what did he want then? Hm?'

'Pictures' I said.

'Pictures?' Josh was confused 'Pictures of what?'

'Don't act dumb, you already know where his mind goes' I scoffed

'Jesus!' Josh ran his hands through his hair 'So he's asked for pictures before?'

'Yes, multiple times, from multiple girls. But I never sent any. Unlike one of us, I valued our relationship and didn't cheat...with my best friend'

'Don't you dare bring Deedee into this' He snapped, pointing a finger at me

'Why not? You basically cheated on me _whilst I was in the hospital_ '

'It's your fault for being there in the first place!'

'Don't you dare pin this all on me when we _both_ know that it's only ourselves to blame. You could have stopped me, and I could have stopped myself, but we didn't. We were both selfish' I paused 'We're bad for each other Josh. It's best if we just don't talk anymore'

'Fine'

'Fine'

'Good'

'GOOD' I walked away from Josh a few feet. Somewhere in our conversation, I had sobered up. What I didn't realise was the constant walking away and stopping led to me being halfway down the block, in the dark, with no jacket, no phone, completely lost.

'Shit' I hissed. I couldn't walk back now. Josh would be there, and I'd just made a dramatic exit. I didn't want to re-enter. THINK OF THE EMBARRASSMENT!

I walked a little further until I found a bench by a residential park. I sat back against the hardwood, feeling the weight of the evening come crashing down on me.

 _You're an attention seeking whore!_

 _You're a slut!_

 _It's your fault for being there in the first place!_

 _You'll end up like your dad. Dead and alone._

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly trying to block out all the words. But it was no use. I looked up at the moon. 1 am. Maybe 2? Everything was fuzzy...and dizzy. My eyelids were heavy, heavier than they were before. My body began to shut down on me. I laid myself down on the bench. A few minutes of sleep won't hurt me. My eyelids fluttered closed as the still sound of nature pulled me into the darkness of my dreams.

 **Author's note: So Macey knew all along about Cammie & Zach, and she finally told Macey some of her secrets, but when will she share the rest. The party didn't go as planned...Poor, poor Cammie. So this was a slightly longer chapter for all of you, hope you enjoy it! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Josh had some very strong words for Cammie but I don't think that he knows about Cammie & Zach just yet. Cute Zammie is coming soon xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: More Zammie moments are coming, next chapter especially! Hope you like this update! xxx**

 **Zachgoodet: Yep, lot's of them. xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: How do you feel knowing that Macey knew the entire time? Bless Macey for not pressuring Cam to say anything. I'm planning something _very_ intense for when Josh finds out about Cammie. Josh's secret will come out, and when it does...oh, you don't want to be Cammie. See you next time xxx**

 **Guest: Hey! I'm not offended by your comment at all. I would advise you though to look at the rating system on Fanfic. This story, much like all my others, is rated T which means that it's ' _Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes.'_ I'm sorry if the swearing I use is offensive to you, or the fact the characters make out, it does fit within the 'T' story guidelines and I suggest that you search stories with 'K' or 'K+' which might suit you better. Hope this helps xxx**


	26. Ow Ow OW!

_The inky darkness is thick. I try to claw my way out of it but I was stuck. My fingers grasping at the air in front of me only to be met by a coldness seeping onto my fingertips._

 _My body was being rocked slowing and then more vigorously._

' _Cammie' I heard my name, a distant but desperate plea._

' _Cammie, please wake up. Please' they begged._

 _Groggily, I felt my body being pulled from the darkness, a heavy weight on me._

' _Cammmieee' the shaking felt more violent, sharp pain splattered my body. A shock ran through me as if I couldn't breathe._

 _My eyelids were heavier than normal, it took a tremendous amount of effort to keep them open._

' _Cammie' someone whispered again._

 _A slither of bright light was in front of me. I winced but kept trying to open my eyes._

 _The blurriness was gone, everything was crystal clear & I was staring directly at a pair of (very worried) green eyes._

'Oh thank God' Zach sighed

'Zach?'

'Hey, Gallagher Girl' he gave a weak smile, not the kind of smile that makes me weak at the knees.

'W...what are you doing here?' My teeth chattered, I was freezing

'Macey called me, said you were a little drunk. Then when she came to look for you, you'd vanished. The others are still looking for you'

'Others?'

'Grant & Bex are looking. Here,' he shrugged off his jacket 'put this on, you're freezing. Do you think you can sit up?' He asked. I nodded. Zach places one hand on my forearm and the other on my head, keeping me steady as I sat up.

'How did you know where to find me?' I asked, wrapping Zach's jacket around me, engulfing me in his warmth & scent.

'I didn't. We've been looking for you everywhere' Zach had a slight sweat on his forehead like he's been running. I glanced over his shoulder at the view. In my drunken state, I hadn't realized how far I'd _actually_ walked. I was on the hill that overlooked the entirety of Roseville. It looked beautiful. I then glanced up at the sky. 3am, 100% 3am.

'Oh,' I sunk into the jacket further.

'We need to find the others' Zach stood up 'Macey's worried sick. Do you think you can walk?' He offered his hand. I took it and Zach pulled me up.

'How the hell did you end up here?' He asked.

'I don't know. I was angry and I just kept walking'

'Angry at what?' Zach asked. I purse my lip.

'Josh and Deedee'

'Your ex was at the party' it wasn't a question, it was a statement

'Do you have a problem with that?' I raised my eyebrow

'No...I mean yes. Yes, I do...It's just that whenever you're around each other, you change and when you mix alcohol-'

'What do you mean I change?' I stopped dead in my walk causing Zach to carry on a little ahead of me and then turn around. Zach sighed, cursing under his breath.

'You act differently...you push us all way, more than you normally do'

I was a little hurt by his comment, yet there was no denying that what he saying was caked in truth. Zach shook his head

'I really don't want to have an argument with you right now' He said, reaching for my hand 'I'm just glad you're safe'

'Me too' I squeezed his hand. Zach smiles at me.

'Come here' he pulled me into his arms hugging me tightly. I stayed cocooned in his warmth for a moment.

'You smell nice' I invertedly said. Zach's chuckle reverberated against me.

'It's my sweat because you know, I had to run like 3 miles trying to find a girl'

'Well, that was stupid' I teased looking up at him. Zach shrugged

'She's worth it though' he smirked. I felt a blush creeping up my neck. Zach looked down at me, his features looking amazing in the pale light of the moon. I glanced at his lips for the briefest of moments and then looked back up at his eyes. Zach's eyes narrowed slightly but his smirk was still on his face.

'You, Gallagher Girl, are truly something else' He lifted one hand to stroke my cheek. He angled my head up like he was going to kiss me. I wanted him to kiss me. But he stopped. Why did he stop?

'You've been drinking' Zach said as if reading my mind.

'That nap really sobered me up'

'Still' Zach tightened the jacket around me further 'I don't want to take advantage of you in this state'

'Why do you have to be so perfect?' I groaned, burying my head into his chest. Zach chuckled again. His phone then rung.

'Hello?' He said. 'Yeah, I've found her, McHenry. She's okay. Yes, she is. We're coming back now. Yes, Macey. Yes. Tell them they can go. No, I'll drive. Okay, bye' He hung up

'How did she sound?' I grimace at my question. Zach looked down at me seriously.

'Like an extremely worried friend,' He said. I gulped. 'Come on, let's go' Zach grabbed my hand once more and we continued to walk down the hill.

...

'CAMMIE!' Macey ran up to me, I thought she was going to hug me but instead...she punched me on the arm.

'ow!'

'That's for getting drunk' She punched again.

'OW!'

'That's for running off when I _told_ you to stay still!' She punched again

' _OW!_ '

'That's for scaring the shit out of me!' I expected another punch, however this time, She threw her arms around me and gave me a tight hug.

'Mace...can't...breath' I choked.

'And that's because you're safe' Macey said pulling away. 'Don't you ever scare me like that again Morgan, if you do I _swear_ you'll regret it'

'Noted'

'We should really be getting home' Zach said

'Don't worry, you're staying at mine' Macey told me.

'Actually...Can you take me somewhere else?' I asked. Macey scrunched up her nose.

'If you want me to take you to see Josh you can fucking forget it!' Macey snapped. I felt Zach tense up.

'No not him. Someone else. Someone I should have spoken to a while ago'

 **Author's note: Hello everyone! Hope you like this chapter! Could Zach _be_ any more perfect? I'm super excited with the next few chapters, they're going to be very emotional for Cammie. Who do you think she's going to see? See you all next time xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: I hate them all too. Zach is here and Zach has saved the day! xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Macey is so sneaky, she can pick up on the tiniest details. Same, Cammie just doesn't have the best luck recently. I am planning to do another 'Just Strangers' story but at the moment I've got so much on my plate, I haven't had time xxx**

 **Guest: Here it is! xxx**

 **Zachgoodet: Thank you so much! xxx**

 **Cdgrinnell: Same, I think Josh will realize soon enough. But it won't be long till they go. You were right! Zach was the one Macey called! Prince Charming to the rescue. I'm excited for Zammie to get closer. xxx**

 **Thankunext121: Here's you go! Dillion will not be an issue for Cammie anymore. Josh's secret will come out and will have BIG consequences! xxx**

 **Smiles180: You were right! Zach was the one to help her, bless him, he's such a gentleman. Cute Zammie is on it's way! xxx**


	27. I Want To Know

We stood outside the front door and 3:30 in the morning. The entirety of the street was quiet, our footsteps seemed to echo for miles. I pressed the doorbell, holding it for several seconds, hearing it go off on the inside.

'Cammie, are you sure about this?' Macey rubbed her arms trying to keep warm.

'No' I shook my head 'I actually feel sick'

'Maybe we should take you somewhere else' Zach rested his hand on the base of my back.

'No, I need to talk to him. It's slightly-drunk Cammie who wants this because I know for a fact that sober me doesn't' I said, taking a deep breath. A hallway light turned on and I could hear footsteps.

'Maybe this was a bad idea' I croaked, my knees were weak, heart pounding, palms sweating. I was just about to turn around when the door opened a little bit. A tired face and wild hair poked out.

'Cameron?' His voice and eyes were full of sleep.

'Hi, Joe' I whispered...then proceeded to be sick...right on the doorstep...great….

...

I turned off the shower, stepping out and wrapping myself in the fluffiest towel I've ever felt. Once I was dried, I got dressed into one of Joe's old tops and a big dressing down. I tiptoed out of the ensuite into Joe's master bedroom. Joe, being a classic military man, kept a neat and orderly house. He remade the bed before I got into the shower and the corners were neatly folded, it looked pristine. I didn't want to snoop through his belongings, because I'm not a spy or anything, but the temptation was too much. I ran my hand along the wooden dresser feeling all the grooves and dents. My fingers worked their way along until it stopped on the edge of a picture frame. I studied the photo and my heart dropped. It was Joe and my dad on tour. Both of them in their camo gear, red sweaty faces smiling at the camera, their arms around each other.

Next to that picture was a photo of Joe with tears in his eyes holding a little baby.

'You always fell asleep when you were handed to me' Joe standing at the doorway made me jump. Gone from his face was the telltale signs of tiredness, now he had his usual cool composure.

'It frustrated Abby a lot. You'd always cry when you were passed to her'

'Abby said it was because I could wrap any guy around my little finger' I quipped back. Joe laughed.

'She's right though. Your father and I would have done anything for you. I still would' We let that sentiment hang in the air. 'Your hot chocolate's ready, come join us when you want' He smiled and disappeared. I looked back at the photo of my dad and Joe smiling.

'What happened?' I asked the photo, feeling the tears form. Tonight I was going to get my answer, whether I liked it or not.

Swallowing my tears, I moved out of the bedroom, down the corridor and into the living room/kitchen.

Macey and Joe were having a polite conversation in the kitchen whilst Zach sat on one of the blue sofas watching the fire crackle.

'Feeling better?' He asked when I sat down.

'Yeah, I am. Sorry you had to see me like that'

'I've seen you at part of your worst. I can't wait to see you at your best' He smiled.

'Me too' I returned the smile. Damn, Zach's smile is one of the most amazing sights ever, it makes my insides spin.

'Here you go' Joe said coming round and handing myself a hot chocolate which was covered in cream, marshmallows and chocolate shavings'

'You remembered how I liked it' I was grateful

'Of course' Joe sank into one of the armchairs whilst Macey sat next to me 'Now, would you care to explain _why_ you are at my house this early in the morning?' He raised his eyebrow at me. I could feel Zach and Macey looking at me from the corner of their eyes.

'I went to a post-game party...with people from Roseville...and Gallagher' The last snippet of information caught Joe by surprise.

'Oh?' He raised his eyebrow. I nodded and took a sip of my hot chocolate.

'And I played beer pong'

'Oh?

'With Dillion' I waited for his reaction. Joe, as ever, kept his expression neutral.

'Then I had an argument with Deedee...and Josh'

Joe was silent. And that worried me. Zach took the hot chocolate out of my hand because I was shaking.

'Joe?' My voice was small and timid.

'I think it's time for Mr. Goode & Miss McHenry to head home' He announced.

'But-' All three of us said

'It's late, you're parents are probably worried about where you are' Joe stood up and moved into the kitchen.

'Where does Rachel think you are, Cammie?' He asked

'Staying with me, sir' Macey said. Joe nodded.

'Good. Keep it that way'

All three of us looked at each other and then looked at him.

'Now I assume that you've had alcohol too, Miss McHenry?' He asked

'A little' She said.

'And you?' He looked at Joe

'Sober, sir. I drove Macey's car here and I'm happy to take her back, sir'

'Good. Make sure that you drive slowly. If there are any problems, phone me'

'Yes sir' Macey & Zach said.

I said a brief goodbye to Macey and Zach, watching them drive down the quiet street.

'You can sleep in the guest room. The bed's all made up' Joe turned from the door.

'Joe….'

'And you have some serious explaining to do later. For now, go to bed'

'Joe…'

'You can take the day off school if you'd like. I'll call Rachel later and explain the situation'

'Joe….'

'When you ended up in the hospital Rachel was terrified. We all were' He snapped. Something ignited in Joe and he wanted to get it off his chest 'We thought we were going to lose you Cameron'

'I know' I dropped my gaze.

'No you don't Cam' He shook his head 'You were unresponsive to treatment for a while. The doctors...the doctors gave Rachel a choice about resuscitation & about turning off your machine' My heart dropped. I didn't know that. I didn't know exactly how close I was to not being here now.

'She refused of course. There was no way that she was going to lose you. She prayed. A lot. I did. I wanted you to be safe. And somehow you pulled through' Joe ran a stressed hand through his hair 'You might hate the fact that you moved here or hate that I'm here. But know that your mom, Abby and I did this for your health. You can hate us three all you want, but you're alive and you are loved' He took a deep breath 'Whatever happened tonight was stupid Cam. You _know_ what happens when things are taken to the extreme and the fact that you were there tonight, _drinking_ and doing God knows what with the people who practically put you in the hospital shows how selfish you still are!'

I stood there, shocked at the cold, hard truth.

'You can finish your hot chocolate in your room if you wish. Goodnight, Cameron' Joe began to walk away.

'I want to know' I began, causing him to stop in his tracks. 'I want to know what happened...between you and my dad?'

Joe sighed deeply. A conversation that's been weighing down on both our minds.

'Now's not the time, Cameron. You've been drinking'

'I'm fine. And if we don't talk now, then Sober Cammie might not listen to you, ever. And I need to know'

Joe thought carefully for a moment. Watching me intensely

'Alright then' Joe took a seat in his armchair. I sat on the sofa, my legs crossed under me. My hot chocolate abandoned on the table.

'You know that your father and I served together in the same division?' He asked. I nodded.

'Well, when we were on leave, we thought it was permanent. I was taking my teaching job more seriously and Matthew was loving the time he had with you' Joe stared off into the distance 'I got a phone call asking if I'd go on another tour. I declined. As much as I loved the force, I was adjusting to a normal life, one I hadn't had since I was 18' He paused again, his hand pressed against his lips.

'I was meant to be there when your father died' He revealed 'If I was there, I would have been in that truck, not him. I was selfish and decided to serve myself rather than my country for one moment, just one moment I wanted to play by my rules. And because of my selfishness, your father died' Joe didn't look at me. He had a hollow, pained look in his eyes, lost in guilt. I sat there for a moment, a weird sense of peace hitting me.

'He died because of an IED. Not because you weren't there' Joe snapped his head to me.

'But if I was, he would still be alive! You would still have your father!'

'But I wouldn't have you. You always had my corner, even when I was wrong, you never judged me. Like now! I've been drinking at a party with my drug addicted ex-boyfriend, showing up at your house at 3 am demanding answers!' I paused 'Losing dad has been the most gut-wrenching pain I've ever felt. Losing you would have hurt too. But in a way, I lost you when you moved away.' I paused 'Why did you leave?' I asked. Joe sunk into his chair again.

'I fell in love' He paused for a moment, staring at the fire 'I fell in love with someone who wasn't mine to love'

'Abby?' I asked. Joe didn't say anything. 'Mom' I said, knowing it was the right answer

'Your mother is an amazing human being. Matthew and Rachel were perfect for each other. I didn't want my clouded feelings breaking up a family. So I left and distanced myself' He looked at me carefully 'Know that distancing myself from you Cameron was one of the worst decisions I've ever made. I shouldn't have done that when you needed me' Now, Joe Solomon is one of the greatest human beings I know...and I've never seen him cry...until now.

'Abby told me about Matthew when he...when he died. I was standing in this kitchen and I dropped the phone...and sobbed. I hadn't just lost a friend, I'd lost a brother' Joe wiped a tear away with the back of his hand. I didn't know what to say to him next. Before I could speak, Joe said something that knocked me for a six.

'I was at the funeral'

 **Author's note: WHHHHHHHHHHAAAATTTTT? JOE WAS AT THE FUNERAL? So Cammie got _some_ of her answers today but she's got a whole lot coming her way with Joe and her father's funeral. What did you think of this chapter? Cammie finally talked to Joe and they've got some answers from each other, but it's not the end. There's a lot left to discuss... See you all next week xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: Zach is very protective over Cammie, and Josh is a dick. You were right! Cammie wanted to talk to Joe! You've hit the nail right on the head! Cammie needed this conversation xxx**

 **Zachgoodet: Did you think it was Joe? xxx**

 **Loverrrr: Zach is just fucking perfect, I love him so much! xxx**

 **LILLIE smith: Sorry for the wait! Here's the chapter! xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! I have just uploaded _Chaotic Order_ so go and check that out! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Zach is just amazing. He's just so morally perfect, he cares about her so much! You were right! It was Joe xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: Zach respected that Cammie was a little drunk and didn't want to take advantage of her. Wish more boys were like that in real life. xxx**

 **Gymnast1150: Thank goodness I saw your review before I posted this chapter! I love this version of Zach, he's been my favourite version to write. They are official, Zach asked Cammie outside the locker room, not the most romantic place, but still! He will become very sentimental and gooey soon! Even if you don't log in, you can always leave a review and just sign with your name at the end or beginning of it! Being grown up is so annoying (I feel you girl!) we gotta do what we have too! Thank you so much for everything as always xxx**


	28. Selfish In A Selfish World

He said that. I'm sure he said it. I didn't just hear it in my slightly drunken state. I know he said it. He was there. He was there. He was.

'I was at the funeral' Joe looked at me through teary eyes. My jaw dropped. The whole house could burst into flames or be carried away in a tornado and I wouldn't notice. I was in shock. Every nerve ending just felt numb.

'What?' My voice came out barely a whisper.

'I was there. I'd driven across the country. Stopping several times and nearly turning back just as many. I hadn't seen any of you in so long and...and I felt wrong being there. I was in my car and I saw Rachel's face. She was broken. And I knew that no matter what I did or what I said wouldn't bring Matthew back. And his death was my fault' Joe didn't stop the sobs from coming 'It was my fault' He cried

'Joe, please don't. Please don't say that' I whimpered

'Matthew was my family. We promised that we'd look out for each other and I didn't. I failed him'

'I failed him too' I admitted 'I haven't turned out the way he would have wanted'

'No. You've turned out better' Joe leant across & held my hand. 'Matthew would be so proud of you...maybe not tonight though' We both laughed. Joe looked at the time.

'We should both head to bed. We'll talk more when it's light' He squeezed my hand and then let go. Joe placed my hot chocolate in the sink on his way to the bedroom. I stayed sat on the sofa for a while just processing all the information of the last 24 hours.

I finally knew why Joe had vanished when I needed him. I finally knew why Joe wasn't at the funeral. It was all in his heart, and from my experience, I can't blame him now. Sometimes we need to be selfish in this selfish world.

...

It was around 4:30 am by the time I managed to fall asleep in the guest room. The sun just beginning to rise as I lay my head down. When I woke up, I realised that I hadn't closed the curtains, the daylight was streaming through, reaching across & touching every corner of the room. I laid there, just staring up at the ceiling. My head felt fuzzy. Perhaps it was last night's alcohol coming to haunt me, or it was the fact that questions that have plagued my every waking moment since my father died had finally been answered.

There was a knock at the door.

'Cameron? Can I come in?' Joe asked.

'Yeah' I said. Joe's head poked through the door, he looked a little worried at first but then gave me a small smile.

'Did you get much sleep?' He asked, coming in and perching on the edge of the bed.

'Not really' I grumbled running my hand through my knotted hair. 'You?' I asked. I didn't really need to ask the question, I could see the dark circles under his eyes clearly.

'Much the same as you' He shook his head 'Well if you want, you can go back to sleep for a little while longer before I make breakfast & then go to school'

'Why? What are you going to do?' I asked

'I'm going for a run' He stood up and stretched his shoulders 'You can join me if you'd like'

A huge smile spread across my face.

'Sure'

…

Joe and I jogged down the street and then onto an offroad track leading up a hill. The conversation from yesterday had melted away and we were encouraging each other, pushing each other on.

We paused at the top of the hill to catch our breath. I hadn't realised it, but this was where I ended up early this morning. This was the bench I slept on, from here you could see the entirety of Roseville.

I took a few deep breaths.

'You should join the track team' Joe said.

'I don't think I should'

'Cam, you're a talented natural runner. You made it all the way to nationals! You shouldn't give up'

'I have though' I sighed looking out into the distance. Time for me to tell my secret. 'I withdrew my application from Georgetown'

'Why?' He asked. Joe didn't sound angry, he was calm, knowing that I needed time.

'Dad died, everything then felt strange and I didn't know what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. Withdrawing the application felt like a step in...whatever direction...it was a decision and I made it'

'Does Rachel know?' He asked. I shook my head.

'Mom would flip'

'She'd understand, Cameron. It's your life at the end of the day' Joe stretched again 'Do you have any idea what you might do in the future?'

'Travel I think' I said 'I want to see more of the world before I pick a career. You never know, I might become an international spy' I teased. Joe laughed

'Now _that_ would be interesting' he chuckled. 'Anyway, since I'm your godfather,' He turned to me 'should I be worried about Mr. Goode?'

'W...what do you mean?' I laughed it off 'Zach and I are just…' I couldn't finish the sentence. I couldn't lie. Joe nodded, a smirk playing on his lips.

'It doesn't matter what you call it, but there are feelings there. And if you aren't sure about your own, then don't give Zach the wrong impression'

'I know' I smiled 'But I'm happy and he's one of the reasons why'

'As long as you're being careful, I don't want to have _the chat_ ' We both shivered dramatically then burst out laughing.

'I'll race you back to the house' Joe smirked and began to jog backward, challenging me. I smirked back at him, tightened my ponytail & chased after him.

...

When we got back to the house, I went to shower. When I came back downstairs, I could hear bacon sizzling in the pan, Joe was also on the phone to someone. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but after hearing him say 'Cammie', my interests were sparked.

'She's fine Rachel' he said whilst flipping the bacon over 'Yes, we've talked. It was good' he said 'Of course I told her the truth!' He exclaimed, 'Yes, I know, I know' he sighed 'She worked it out on her own' he replied in a hushed voice 'Look, I'm about to plate up breakfast, I'll call you later. Okay? Alright, bye' Joe hung up and turned back to the bacon.

'It's quite rude to listen in on conversations, Cameron' he still had his back to me (which was a good thing because he couldn't see my jaw which hit the ground).

'Sorry' I said taking a seat at the breakfast bar 'How is she?'

'Relieved' he plated up our bacon & eggs 'that you're safe and that we're actually having proper conversations again'

'You didn't tell her about last night, did you?' I asked. Joe smiled and shook his head

'I believe that's something your mother _shouldn't_ find out about for a while' he poured us both some orange juice and took a seat across from me. We tucked into our breakfast in comfortable silence. Neither one of us wanted to ruin this seemingly perfect moment.

'Do you want a ride to school?' He asked.

'Um,' I pulled out my phone. There was one message from Macey: _I'm coming to meet you x_

'I'm alright, Macey is giving me a ride'

'Are you sure?'

'Yeah, I'll see you at school'

I quickly went to gather my belongings and wait for Macey. I didn't have to wait long as she pulled up to the house with Zach in the front seat.

'I'll see you later Joe' I called as I opened the front door. Joe nodded and began to gather his own belongings.

'Hey, Gallagher girl' Zach smirked as he came towards me.

'Hey, Blackthorne boy' I replied.

'You look tired' he said

'Gee, thanks' I rolled my eyes

'And you've been crying' his eyes narrowed

'I'm fine, Zach' I waved it away 'they were much needed & long overdue tears'

'As long as you're okay' he grabbed my hand, threading our fingers together. Guess there's no more hiding.

...

The morning flew by, but by the first break, there was a strange buzz. People were whispering and gossiping more in the corridors, their eyes darting to me.

'What's happened?' I asked. Zach and I were no longer holding hands. We wanted to tell our friends first before _everyone_ found out.

'Beats me' Zach shrugged

'They're probably talking about what happened at the party' Macey said. I groaned. This was _not_ how I wanted it to be.

'MORGAN!' Someone shouted, which was strange because the voice didn't match the tone or word.

I turned to see Josh coming across the quad. And he looked angry.

'Who did you tell?' He hissed

'What are you talking about?' I stood up, confused but also alarmed by his behaviour.

'Coach came to my room this morning, wanted to have a chat. Said he's heard that I might be taking steroids' Josh laughed 'where would he have heard that?' He looked at me with so much venom and hate that I'd never seen before.

'Josh-'

'Now, I _know_ you wouldn't have told him. You keep secrets very close to your chest, Cammie. Isn't that right?'

'Josh-'

'He called my parents, asking for permission to search my stuff, right in front of me. He got one of the other boys, _a trustworthy boy,_ to record it as proof' Josh gritted his teeth 'he found _one_ pill. One! And apparently, that was enough for me to lose my scholarship to Georgetown'

'Josh-'

'Are you happy?' He spat 'you've got everything you've ever fucking wanted. You've ruined my life!'

'I didn't say anything!' I snapped, holding my hands up

'Course you did! You've got loose lips, in both sense' he sneered. Never in my life have I ever wanted to hurt someone. Yes, I have been self-destructive, but never intentionally hurt someone else. Yet, at this moment, I wanted to punch Josh right across the face. Luckily, Zach beat me to it.

Josh stumbled back, clutching his cheek. Zach shook out his hand.

'Zach!' I exclaimed yanking on his shoulder, pulling him back. I could feel the anger radiating off of him, rippling through his body like a tidal wave. Grant leaped up and helped me hold Zach back.

'What the hell were you thinking?' I snapped

'What? Do you think I'd let this piece of shit talk about you like that' Zach's eyes were blazing.

'I can handle him myself' I quipped. Zach opened his mouth to say something but then shut his mouth, thinking better of it. I turned my attention to Josh, who was wiping away blood from his nose.

'ABRAMS, MORGAN, GOODE' Joe's voice boomed across the courtyard. 'Come with me _now'_

Shit.

 **Author's note: Hi everyone! I'm back! I know that it's been quite a while (about a month-ish). I'd like to say that I'll be uploading more regularly but that's probably wishful thinking. Anyway, now you know that Joe was at the funeral...have Cammie & Joe resolved their issues? What will happen to their relationship? And now Josh is angry at Cammie...find out more next time! xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Cammie finally has the answers so wanted. It must have been so hard for her to know the truth. Thank you for your lovely comments. Honestly, today has been the only free day I've had in the last month and a bit. xxx**

 **Smiles180: Cammie's relationship with the men in her life I find is sometimes more interesting than the one she has with all the females. xxx**

 **Alyeska: Thank you so much! I love all the cliffhangers too! xxx**

 **Original Gallaghergirl: Just as you came back from your hiatus, I took mine. Lol. The friendships are just as important & interesting to me as the romance. I agree Josh is either a character you love or hate. I most definitely have loved him in some versions I've written and in other versions, I've hated him so much...kind of like Tina. Thank you so much! People commenting on my writing does really mean a lot as it's something I want to keep pursuing. I promise that I won't stop. Bless you. You're comment's just make my day. Love you loads and can't wait to hear from you soon xxx**

 **Zammieeee: Wow! All in one day? I'm impressed. Thank you for your support xxx**

 **Dreamer0704: Update is (finally) here! xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: I'm sorry I left it on a loooong cliff hanger, but now you know the answer to the things that have bugged Cam for so long! xxx**

 **Chameleon1321: Thank you so much! I'm glad that you're still enjoying this story after 28 chapters! I don't think I'll be stopping anytime soon xxx**


	29. Pushed or Jumped

'Ow!' Josh groaned as the nurse examined his nose.

'It's not broken' she told him

'Pity' Zach muttered under his breath. Joe and I both glared at him. Zach just shrugged, looking at his bandaged fist.

'Why do I need to be here?' I asked Joe. He raised an eyebrow

'Do I seriously need to answer that question?'

I opened my mouth to retort but decided against it. Yep, there was no way out of this.

'You should be all good and ready to play football again' the nurse smiled at Josh. He glared at me. Joe cleared her throat.

'Nurse Collins, would it be possible if I could have a word with these three in private?' Joe asked

'Of course Mr. Solomon' she smiled and exited the room.

'Now, what happened in the courtyard was unacceptable. Mr. Goode, you should know better. I'm going to speak to coach to bench you for 5 games'

'But-' Zach retorted

'No buts. My decision is final. You are free to go' Joe opened the door, ready for Zach to leave. Zach hesitated for a moment, gave me a sidewards glance and then made his way out of the room. Joe then turned to Josh.

'You had no right to come into this school, accuse the students of something _or_ speak about Cameron in the manner that you did' He folded his arms 'Don't forget how _well_ I know you and your family'

I looked at Joe, realization dawned on me. That's how the coach found out about Josh's steroids.

'It was you' Josh said. The realization must have dawned on him too.

'Pack up your belongings and get on the Gallagher bus immediately' he said calmly. Josh was going to say something but didn't. He gave Joe a long, hard stare. He moved towards the door, before exiting, he shot me a single look. At that moment, I knew what we had was over. Friendship, old friends, someone whose past was mixed with mine...gone.

The door closed with a bang behind him, leaving Joe & me alone.

'How did you know?' I asked

'Us adults are a lot more perceptive than you think' He gave me a knowing look 'And besides, he was displaying all the signs of withdrawal right up to the game' He dusted a piece of fluff out of his tie 'My job is to protect all of you students, and sometimes I'm seen as the bad guy, but it's with the best interests at heart'

'Thanks, Joe'

'You've always protected him, Cameron, had his best interests at heart, but you have to let him go'

'It's not that easy' I snapped 'I can't just _let go_ like everyone expect me too! I overthink & over analyze _everything_ and it consumes me so much that there are days I can't get out of bed because I'm sick with my thoughts. I can't let go'

'It's not necessarily about letting go, it's about being able to move on' Joe said in a calm voice. 'Josh wasn't a good influence on you, as much as you think that you can save him, some people just can't be saved. And it's those times where you need to put your needs above all others'. Joe held onto both of my shoulders. 'Put yourself first, Cammie'

'I promise' I said, and I really did mean it.

'Good. Now, you're dismissed'

'Thanks' I gave a tight-lipped smile and walked out of the nurse's office.

I turned left, making my way down the hallway towards my locker. Zach was leaning against my locker, looking rather annoyed.

'What did he say?' Zach asked

'It doesn't matter' I waved it away.

'It kinda does' He said. I turned to look at him.

'Joe ratted Josh out. Gallagher is going back today. They're out of our hair. Just leave it' I grabbed my book and slammed my locker shut.

'Woah. Where is this attitude coming from?' Zach furrowed his brow

' _Attitude?_ ' I raised an eyebrow, folding my arms. Zach shook his head and sighed.

'I'm not going to argue with you, Gallagher Girl'

'You were the one who said I have attitude!'

'Because you're starting to shut me out!'

'I'm only shutting you out because you _punched_ Josh!'

'I punched him because he insulted you! I was only trying to help!'

'I DON'T NEED HELP!' I shouted. My words echoed down the hallway, banging against the lockers. Zach waited until it was complete silence; in fact, he waited _just_ that little bit longer for the silence to become shook his head again.

'Maybe if you keep saying it, one day I'll believe you' Zach began to walk away.

'Zach…' I tried to get him to stop, but I was too late, he'd already gone.

…

'And then he just walked away! Can you believe him?' I looked at Macey. School was over and we were sitting in a local cafe sipping iced coffee. All-day I was thinking about my mini-argument with Zach. Macey took a long sip of her drink, looking at anything but me.

'Mace?' I asked. She rolled her eyes.

'Look. Cam, you know that I love you.'

'I feel like there's a _but_ coming'

' _But_ Zach does have a point'

'Really?' I sat back in my chair.

'I mean, he's not _completely right_. He had every right to hit Josh, but he should have thought before he swung. It's just that…' She paused, trying to find the words 'There's more to you and Josh than you've let us see. There's...something about you two that goes way beyond the drugs. Now, you don't have to tell me, but I know that there's more to tell. And you know it too'

I stayed silent, focusing on my drink.

'It's not my place...but have you spoken to someone?'

'About?'

'Everything' Macey pushed her hair behind her ear. 'Cam, you've had a shit recently. I just don't want you to sink before you've had the chance to swim' She reached across and touched my hand.

'I'm fine' I said

'Cammie' she squeezed my hand 'face it, you aren't the same girl I got stuck on a roof in Boston with'.

'That girl had a father'

'And _this_ girl has friends'

She squeezed my hand.

'Don't go down the rabbit hole' She whispered. I pulled my hand away and shook my hand.

'We all end up down the rabbit hole one way or another. We're either pushed or we jump. It's inevitable'

 **Author's note: So I've written Cammie over the last few chapters acting differently & it seems that her friends have noticed too. Words of Warning that some of the future chapters maybe a little darker, I haven't decided yet because I haven't written them. But I like this new direction that the story is going. There'll be some Zammie moments soon. I promise. See you all soon xxx**

 **GallagherGirlEmbassyRowFan: Thank you so much! Cam finally got the answers from Joe but that's only the tip of the iceberg. There'll be A LOT of secrets coming soon xxx**

 **Alecks454: Tina didn't blab...but she'll be making her dramatic return _very_ soon xxx**

 **covertoperative456: Update is here! See you soon xxx**

 **Guest: Soon xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Zach is just the perfect gentleman, but Cammie doesn't seem to want perfect? Why? xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: Zammie will be coming soon. They need their next date! Like all my stories, it's never easy for Zammie xxx**


	30. Savour This Moment

It was an unusually hot day for November. The sun was warm against my skin and there was a gentle breeze in the air which caused my hair to float slightly. The grass was tall in this particular place, tickling my ankles, just showing me how much time had passed. My mum squeezed my hand, reading my mind. I glanced up at her.

She was wearing her favourite faded blue jeans that hugged her body tightly, she had a loose buttoned-down white top paired with a pair of white trainers. Her eyes were shielded by her sunglasses so I couldn't read her expression.

There was a distant sound of a bird chirping. I haven't heard one in a while.

'Do you want to leave?' Mom asked

'Not yet' I shook my head 'I want to savor this moment just a little longer'

She smiled.

'Sure Kiddo'

…

We pulled up outside of our house. Joe's car was on the drive. He was here earlier with arms full of food. He made himself at home, as he has done many times before, and began to make a meal for us when mom & I returned.

As I got out of the car, I looked over at our neighboring house. Edward was at work & Zach was at school. Normally mom wouldn't allow me to miss school, but today was a special day.

'You okay, honey?' Mom asked.

'Yeah' I smiled at her. She gave me a sympathetic smile.

'He's proud of you, you know that, right?'

'I know'

Mom ran her hand through my hair, stopping to cup my face.

'I love you, Kiddo'

'I love you too mom'

We linked arms & walked into the house. Joe was busy in the kitchen, a somewhat chaotic order with all the utensils, bowls & pots scattered around the work surface. Joe looked up at us, frazzled.

'Oh...um...I...I wasn't expecting you back so early'

Mom and I looked at each other, a small smirk on our faces.

'What are you doing?' Rachel said. Joe looked suddenly sheepish.

'Trying to make Cammie's cookies'

I laughed.

'Oh, you're never going to replicate them' I said. 'It's a secret recipe for a reason, Joe' I rolled my eyes and came around the kitchen island.

I looked at the bowl in his hand, dipping my index finger in.

'Hey' Joe moved the bowl away. I tasted the sample.

'Hmm…' I pondered 'You're close...but…is that cinnamon I can taste?' I raised an eyebrow at him. Joe's eyes widened.

'Um...yes?'

I shrugged.

`it's meant to be vanilla!' Rachel said. I looked back at her.

'Excuse me? Who said it was vanilla?' I folded my arms. My mom rolled her eyes.

'Don't give me that attitude missy'

I held my hands up.

'You're both wrong, that's all I'm saying'

All three of us laughed, and it was lovely to hear it. All three of us getting on together despite everything. And all three of us coming together to celebrate the man we all loved. I miss you, dad.

I went upstairs to my bedroom and checked my phone, I'd had it on silent all morning and left it at home so I could spend as much time with mom as possible. I received 8 text messages from my friends and 3 missed calls. One from Zach, one from Macey and one from an unknown number. I decided to listen to them first.

' _Hey, Gallagher Girl. It's me'_ Zach's smooth voice came through the phone ' _I know we haven't really talked since the whole Jimmy thing...but no one's heard from you and I'm worried. Call me back, okay?'_ **END OF MESSAGE**

' _Hey, Cammie! Wish him a happy birthday from me. Love you!_ ' **END OF MESSAGE**. I smiled at Macey's voicemail. She didn't have to say a lot, she didn't have to explain, what she said was enough. And it meant the world to me.

' _Hi Cam'_ I froze at the voice, nearly dropping my phone. 'I know you don't want to hear from me and I'm the last person who should be calling you…' They took a deep breath 'But I know how hard today is for you and I want you to know that I'm thinking about you. Okay...um...bye' **END OF MESSAGE**

I sat down on my bed suddenly feeling deflated. It was amazing to hear Zach's voice & Macey's message meant the world to me...but then the last message was from Josh. He was right, I don't want to hear from him and he shouldn't be calling me...but there was still a part of him that cared, still a part of him that I'll always believe it, still a part of him that I'll never truly forget.

...

'CAMMIE!' Mom called up the stairs 'COME DOWN FOR FOOD!'

I bounced downstairs and went to work to help set the table. Mom and Joe were gliding through the kitchen together looking very happy in each other's company. I paused for a second, watching how much they were both smiling. I hadn't seen my mom smile like that in a long time. Not since…

I shook the memories of my mom smiling at my dad out of my head. I've already made myself sad once today, I don't want to be sad again.

Then the doorbell rang. I was confused. Who would be here at this hour?

'Mom?' I called 'Are you expecting company?'

'Not that I know of' She shrugged 'Why don't you go and find out?'

I furrowed my brow. She was up to something.

I made my way to the door, not sure what to expect. I opened it and the person standing in front of me was such a surprise that I just gasped.

'Abby?'

 **Author's note: So...I'm back. 3 months...oops. I'm so, so sorry for the delay in getting an upload done. I've been doing another filming project at uni which has taken up all of my time which also means that I haven't got any reserved chapters to upload. Hopefully, over my Christmas break, I'll be able to write some more. Stay tuned as always! What do you think about Abby coming back? And Zammie are going to have a little talk in the next chapter...one that will either make or break their relationship... See you soon xxx**

 **Guest: More is (finally) here xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmabssyRowFan: Thank you so much! Cam is just so bruised that shutting people out is second nature...but she's starting to return to normal. The next chapter is probably going to be the most emotional one that Cammie will have to face. xxx**

 **Zammieeee: Thank you so much xxx**

 **Guest: THANK YOU! xxx**

 **Alecks454: What do you think is between Cammie & Josh? Any suggestions? Zach and Cammie will talk about their relationship and much MUCH more next time xxx**

 **FanLurker: Thank you! It's taken me a while to upload but I haven't finished this story yet at all! I've been doing really well, just super busy - hope you're well yourself :). xxx**

 **Smiles180: Cam has a tendency to push Zach away and then pull him back just as quick. I wonder why? Joe's just an absolutely amazing character. I love his relationship with Cammie & it's only the beginning of it. xxx**

 **Guest: It's been 3 months and I'm so sorry for that xxx**

 **Duchess12: Thank you so much! xxx**


	31. Friends Who Are Boys

'Abby?'

I couldn't believe she was standing in front of me. It's been months since I last saw her. Last time we spoke, she'd been planning on moving to Spain. Partly for the sun, partly for her job and partly to escape the ghosts of her past. That's something Abby & I have always had in common...we run.

'Hey Squirt' She flashed a pearly smile 'Aren't you going to let me in?'

I stood to the side, opening the door wider. Abby floated through the door, her auburn hair bouncing behind her, her tanned skin was positively glowing & she smelled of very expensive perfume. She enveloped me in a hug, squeezing tightly.

'I have missed you so much Squirt' She whispered in my hair

'I've missed you too' I squeezed her back.

'Abby?' Mom's voice came closer 'What are you doing here?'

Abby pulled away, smirking at her sister.

'Well, a little birdy told me you were having a family day, and since I'm family, I thought I'd invite myself'

Abby gave a mock salute to Joe.

'Joseph'

'Abigail' Joe wiped his hands on a towel as he gave her a kiss on the cheek 'So glad you could make it'

'And what are you _making_?' Abby teased, looking at his messy apron. She sniffed the air. 'Cammie's cookies?' She turned to me, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

'Nutmeg?' She asked.

I shook my head 'Not even close'. All three adults groaned. Abby looked at me seriously.

'I have ways, effective ways, of finding out the recipe' She teased.

'Over my dead body' I retorted. Instantly I wanted to take those words straight back. The atmosphere stiffened immediately. Here we were, all four of us, together with without Dad. And not just without him, but without him on his birthday. Thankfully the oven timer went off.

'I'll get that' Joe said 'Rachel, could you help with the potatoes?'

'Sure' Mom turned away quickly towards the kitchen. I sighed.

'I seriously just put my foot in it, didn't I?'

'Don't worry, hun' Abby stroked my arm compassionately. 'We all know what you meant. Anyway, how have you been?'

'Fine' I said automatically. Abby kept looking at me.

'Come on now Squirt, you can try to fool your mom but you can't even attempt to fool me. Spill' I groaned. Mom definitely sees when I lie or hide things but decides not to say anything, opting to wait until I speak first. But Abby...oh Abby cuts through my bullshit straight away with no regrets. She will tell me everything up front, bluntly & honest. I wouldn't have it any other way.

'Now…' Abby pulled me onto the sofa, wrapping her legs under her, making herself comfortable 'How have you been?'

'I'm coping, I think' I twiddled my thumbs as a distraction. 'Things at school hasn't been the easiest at times, but I have a great group of friends'

' _Boy_ friends?' Abby raised an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes.

'Yes Abby, friends who are boys'

'But have you got a _boyfriend_?' Abby leaned in closer. Gone were the years of adulthood, stress & the abuse and the person sitting in front of me looked younger, brighter, healthier and safe.

'Um…'

'You do!' She squealed.

'Shhh,' I said quickly.

'What are you girls gossiping about?' Rachel said.

'Nothing' We said in unison. Mom rolled her eyes.

'I hate it when you two gang up on me'

'We do it because we love you' Abby blew a kiss.

'Love you too' Mom said. Abby whirled round to face me.

'So...what's going on with them two?' She whispered, signaling behind her.

'What do you mean, Abby?' I asked, trying to act innocent.

Abby narrowed her eyes. 'Don't act dumb with me' I shrugged.

'I have no idea what you're talking about'

Thankfully, before Abby could interrogate me further the doorbell rang.

'I'll get it' I moved towards the door. Who else could this be?

I opened the door to see Zach.

'Um...hi' I said. I did not expect him to be here, nor did I hear his bike pull up.

'Why weren't you in class today?' He asked. I folded my arms.

'What? No _hi Cam, how are you_?' I quipped. Zach rolled his eyes.

'Hi Cam, how are you?' He mocked. It was my turn to roll my eyes. 'Now, why weren't you in class? Is it because of us?'

'No actually' Abby came up behind me, placing her hands on my shoulders. She flashed Zach her winning smile, but she had a hard look in her eyes. Translation: Don't mess with me.

'Cammie's having a family day today. I'm sure you can understand that' Her smile tightened. 'I'm Abby by the way. Cammie's aunt'

'Please to meet you Abby' Zach held out his hand (which thankfully Abby shook), 'Cammie speaks very highly of you'

'I'd hope so' She winked at me 'And you are?'

'I'm Zach. I live next door and I'm a friend of Cammie's'

'Oh,' Abby raised her eyebrow and smirked at me 'So he's you boy-'

'Thank you, Abby!' I pushed her back inside. 'I'll be back in a sec' I shut the front door behind me, stepping onto the porch with Zach.

'Sorry about that' I tucked a loose piece of hair behind my ear 'Abby likes to get involved in my business'

'Glad someone is' Zach muttered under his breath.

'I guess Macey didn't tell you why I wasn't in today?' I folded my arms

'No' Zach shook his head 'We asked her and she refused to say, nearly started crying. That got _all_ of us worried. Then you weren't picking up the phone, so what did you expect us to think? I skipped class to make sure you weren't lying in a ditch or-'

'Dead?' I raised my eyebrow. Zach pursed his lips but didn't say anything. I ran my hand through my hair.

'Look, I'm sorry that I've been acting weird recently. But Josh...Josh has a way of getting under my skin. He's someone who is still connected to the old me and as much as moving and trying with all my might to be better, it's a slope and sometimes I slip'

'You love your poetic speeches, don't you?' He had a little smirk tugging on his lips. I gave a half-hearted laugh.

'It's my dad's birthday today' I said 'It's always been a day of family and even though he's not here, we still want to celebrate family'

'Cam, I'm sorry-'

'Don't apologize' I shook my head 'I just…' I sighed 'I should get back. We're eating soon. I'll talk to you later?'

'Um. Yeah. Sure' Zach put his hands in the front pocket of his jeans. Somewhat deflated. 'Talk later' Zach went down the steps, hopped over the fence & into his own house. Before he shut the door, he glanced back at me, shooting me a sad smile.

I sighed again. Zach and I most definitely need a chat. I walked back into my house & straight into Abby & her mischievous smile.

'He's cute, Squirt. So…' She took a step forward 'Are you sure you told me _everything_?'

'Um…'

 **Author's note: Sooo I actually uploaded quickly this time! Yay! So, Abby is back in the picture! But how long will she stay? I know I said that Zammie would have a 'make or break' relationship talk but I decided to save it for the next chapter. I wanted this one to focus on Abby & Cammie. There's A LOT of Zammie in the next chapter, so keep your eyes peeled! O_o. See you next time xxx**

 **Duchess12: Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying the 'Know' Series - I still can't quite believe how I managed to get 4 stories out of one little idea that I had but I'm forever grateful for the support I received on this platform. Looking back I can definitely see how my writing style has evolved yet I still have the same core values running through. I always love playing with people's emotions & pushing the characters out of their comfort zones. I know that a lot of people want Zammie constantly, but to me, it's not interesting if it's a straight forward love story - relationships are never that simple and neither are these characters. They're complex & brave & vulnerable & they evolve much as they do throughout the 6 stories as well as within fanfiction. Everyone has a different interpretation of the characters and I'm so glad that I can explore my interpretation of the characters and for it to be so well received by everyone. So thank you so much! I've LOVED seeing all your reviews on the chapters & each one has made me smile so I hope you know that :). xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Yes, I'm finally back! It's been too long and I apologise for that. I really wish that I could have come back earlier but I've been focused on reality (which is NOWHERE near as interesting). I can't wait to share with you what happens next. xxx**


	32. The Long Forgotten Film

'Well?' Abby folded her arms. 'Are you going to say anything?'

'Um…'

'Kiddo, can you set the table please?' Mom called.

'Sure, mom' I floated past Abby, avoiding her gaze & grabbed the plates from the side.

'Who was at the door?' Mom asked

'Zach'

'Shouldn't he be in school?' Joe interjected. I rolled my eyes

'He's just checking in on me. No big deal' I placed the plates down & the cutlery. I noticed that Mom and Joe shared a look. I decided to ignore it.

'So...who is ready for dinner?'

'I don't think I can eat another bite' I slid my plate a few inches in front of me, residing to the fact that I was full.

'Me neither' Joe pushed his chair back & patted his belly.

'That was incredible' Abby takes a big swig of her wine. She reaches for the bottle for the fifth time this evening. Rachel grabs the bottle first.

'I think you've had enough'

'Relax Rach. I'm fine'

Abby and Rachel stared at each other, shooting daggers from across the table. I looked at Joe who was thinking of a way to defuse the tension.

'I've got some work to catch up on, may I be excused?' I asked

'Of course honey. We'll call you back down for dessert' My mom smiled. I glanced back at Joe, he gave me a small nod as if to say thank you.

I tucked in my chair & headed up stairs, just waiting for the yelling to begin. I hadn't even closed my door completely before I heard 'For goodness sake, Abigail!' coming from my mother's mouth. I backed away from the door, turned on my record player and sat by the window, trying to just get some breathing room.

I closed my eyes, leaning against the cold frame.

My moment of peace only lasted for exactly a moment because something hard hit the window. I opened my eyes, looking at where the noise came from. Across from me was Zach in his own house smiling at me through his open window. I opened mine.

'Hey Gallagher Girl'

'Hey Blackthorne Boy. Did you throw something at me?'

'Maybe' He smirked

'Why?'

'I was wondering if you wanted to sneak out. We never got our second date'

'I'd love to, but I can't' I glanced back over my shoulder at the closed door. 'Maybe some other time' I go to close my window

'Wait' I stopped. Zach smirked at me. 'If you can't come out, then I'll come to you'

'Are you insane?'

'Only the best people are. I'll see you in a bit Gallagher Girl' Zach shut his window and disappeared. I moved away from the window.

'That boy is going to be the death of me, I swear it' I muttered. I opened my door slightly.

'If she's old enough to drive, she's old enough to be left alone' Abby exclaimed

'Driving is one thing, spending the summer alone is quite another' My mum retorted.

'What are you worried about, Rach? That she's going to drink? Party? Have sex-'

'Abby…' Joe warned

'What? Don't act like you were so innocent at her age! Cammie's becoming a woman, you've got to let her have time to be free. A summer away will be perfect for her'

'I understand that Abby, but Cammie needs to focus on herself right now' My mom was using her serious voice.

'And she will. Give her some breathing room! I had breathing room, and I turned out just fine'

'Oh yeah, being in an abusive relationship and turning into a drunk is very noble of you Abigail' My mom snapped. I shut my door quickly, not wanting to hear anymore.

'What's going on?' I spun around to see Zach, perched on my window frame, scaring the shit out of me

'What the hell? How did you get in?'

'Through the window. Duh'

I rolled my eyes.

'Come on Cam' Zach stood up and slowly made his way across the room. He grabbed my hand. I withdrew my hand immediately.

'Zach, I told you that I couldn't come out. You shouldn't have come here'

'Why not?'

'Because I have family over!'

'So? I met your mom and Abby already'

'Yes but now's not the time' I folded my arms defensively.

'What's wrong with you?' He asked

'Me? What about me?'

'You don't tell me things, you only give me a smidge of information & then you get angry when I try to help! I don't know where I stand with you'

I huffed, not sure what to say.

'Look. You're from a small town where everyone tells everyone everything. There's no secrets. For me, secrets keep me safe, and sometimes I keep them to protect others. I've told you that I will be more honest with you, but you've got to respect that I'll do that in my own time, in my own way. And right now, it's me not wanting to talk but wanting you to be here, with me.'

There was a pause.

'Do you want me to stay?' Zach asked. 'Because thirty seconds ago you wanted me to leave' I glanced at the door.

'I want you to stay' I told him. Zach chuckled and shook his head

'You are one complicated woman, Gallagher Girl' He kissed my nose.

'Do you want to watch a movie?' He asked

'Um..sure...but I don't have a TV'

'That's okay, I have this little projector thing' Zach pulled out this tiny projector from his backpack along with his laptop. 'Do you want to close the curtains whilst I set it up'

'Um...sure…' I pulled the curtains shut, plunging the room into semi darkness only disturbed by shards of light seeping through the edge of the material.

'It's ready'

I turned around to see Zach sprawled across my bed like it was his own. The projector aimed at the ceiling.

'Wow' I said. Zach scooted over, and patted the vacant spot next to him. I laid down next to him. Our bodies close but not too close.

'So what are we watching?'

'It's a surprise' He smirked.

About ten minutes into the film, I couldn't really concentrate, I could feel Zach's gaze on me & every time I turned to face him, he'd turn back to the film.

'What?' He said after probably the 16th time.

'What! You keep looking at me. I can't concentrate if your watching me'

'Sorry. I just….I just can't stop thinking about how much I want to kiss you right now'

'Oh' I laid there, not sure how to respond. Zach looked at my eyes & then to my lips. Within a split second, our lips were fused together, nothing slow or quick like we've kissed before, but this was full of passion & heat. Zach's hand caressed cheek, locking me in place. My hands went into his hair, running through the strands. Zach shifted his weight, propping himself up and hovering over me. His hand left my cheek & started traveling down my neck & down my arm. I shivered. Zach stopped.

'Is this okay?' He muttered against my lips. I nodded.

'Don't stop. Please' I replied.

Zach and I returned to making out, the film long forgotten. God this boy is such a good kisser. My mind was clear & my body felt like jelly. Damn this was good.

His fingers danced across my side, lingering over my ribcage, I squirmed slightly. This all felt so right.

I caressed his face, not wanting this to end.

We were so lost in our own little world that we didn't hear my name being called, we didn't hear the knock at my door, we didn't hear the door open, but we most certainly heard:

'CAMERON ANN MORGAN'

Oops.

 **Author's note: Hellooooooo everybody! I'm still around! Can't believe I last updated this story since December...oops. Life has been super busy for me recently & but now with what's occuring in the world, I've pretty much got all the time in the world...which means...MORE UPDATES! Hopefully, but please be patient with me! Thank you so much for everyone who has been reviewing and has been keeping an eye out. I'll see you all soon xxx**

 **RAZ: Thank you! xxx**

 **Silver: Interesting? How so? xxx**

 **Smiles180: Thank you! I know, it's been far too long. Abby is one of my favourite characters to write. What did you think of Zammie in this chapter? xxx**

 **Duchess12: I love Abby too! It seems like their relationship talk went _very_ well. I get what you mean, I love it when Zammie stories aren't fully about Zammie because the books aren't. The books are about Cammie & Zach's just a part of it. Awww Thank you so much, can't wait to write more! xxx**

 **Guest: More will come xxx**

 **Guest: Yes, I am still writing! It's just been hard for me to find time, but it looks like that's changed with recent circumstances xxx**

 **Nicole aka The AnimeLover: Thank you xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: I love Zammie too! Thank you soo much, yes, Abby and Zach have finally met. I think they'll be getting on really well. Zammie may or may not be going further...we'll have to wait and see... xxx**

 **Guest: Aww thank you! I've missed writing so much xxx**

 **Guest: HERE IS YOUR UPDATE! xxx**


	33. Sobbing on the Doorstep

**Cam POV**

'What on Earth were you thinking? No, you weren't thinking, that's certainly clear'

'Come on Rach, she was just-'

'Enough Abigail. This is your doing also! Putting ideas into her head'

'Woah, I've been here all of five minutes!' Abby snapped defensively

'I think that's quite enough,' Joe said. He looked over at Zach and I sitting on the sofa, utterly silent. 'Mr. Goode, I suggest you go back home. Through the front door this time'

'Yes sir' Zach stood up, grabbed his bag & left without saying another word.

The door slammed. No one spoke. We all just stayed where we were.

'Is it a bad time to ask for dessert?' I offered. They all looked at me 'I guess it is…' I sunk back into the sofa, wanting it to swallow me up.

'Cameron, go to your room. We'll discuss this in the morning' My mom rubbed her forehead.

'But-'

'Cameron…' Joe warned. I stood up & began to climb a few stairs. I paused & turned around.

'I'm sorry' I said. No one reacted. I bit my lip, knowing that I'd disappointed everyone.

The next morning, I came downstairs to find the kitchen empty.

'Mom?' I looked outside. Her car was gone. She left early.

'Guess it's breakfast for one' I sighed.

'Make that two' a voice said from the sofa. Abby yawned and sat up, a blanket draped over her.

'You do know we have a guest bed?'

'I do, but your mother decided to go for a late night drive, and she hasn't come back'

'Oh' I said, worry seeping through me.

'Don't worry Squirt, I'm sure she's fine' Abby moved to the fridge, getting the orange juice out. I grabbed two glasses.

'So where's Joe?'

'Went out to find her. He-'

'-Hasn't come back either?' I finished. Abby sighed, grabbing one of my cookies from the previous night.

'They can look after each other Cam, I'm sure they're fine'

'Was she angry? About last night?'

Abby chewed her cookie, deep in thought.

'She's worried. She doesn't want history to repeat itself'

'It's not'

'From her perspective, it is' Abby snapped.

'What do you mean, Abby?' I said. Abby sighed once again, putting the cookie down.

'You're still shutting people out and you're being reckless'

'I'm a teenager!' I exclaim 'Of course I shut people out and act a little reckless! Isn't that just part of puberty'

'Not when you're still grieving' Abby said 'It's clear for all of us to see that you still haven't dealt with Matthew's death'

'What's the right way to deal with anybody dying? I'm used to him being gone because he was gone a lot but...but I'm still waiting for him to come through the door. Any minute now, he'll come home. That's what I was told for over 15 years. _He will be back soon_. I can't just magically forget that or shut my feelings off over night'

'Cammie it's-'

There was a knock at the door.

'That's probably Macey giving me a ride'

There was another knock, more persistent and urgent.

'That doesn't sound like her…' I moved towards the door cautiously

I opened the door to see Joe standing, out of breath, sweat dripping down his face and his eyes puffy. No, it wasn't sweat...it was tears.

'Joe?' Fear bubbled in my stomach 'Joe what's happened?'

Joe couldn't speak, he just fell to his knees, sobbing on the doorstep.

He didn't have to say anything...but I knew that had happened.

And once again, my life changed forever because someone came to my door with news.

 **Author's note: Hello everyone! First of all, I want to start by saying that my previous chapter was uploaded exactly 4 YEARS since I uploaded my very first chapter of my very first story. Wow, how those 4 years have flown by. Thank you so much for all of your love and support throughout this time. There are many more adventures to come soon. This chapter is shorter but the story is taking a turn...poor poor Cammie...xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: I'm so glad to be back! Yes it has been a long time, if it could have been shorter, then yes, I wish I could have come back sooner, but everything happens for a reason. What IS going to happen next? Let me know what you think xxx**

 **Alecks454: Thank you! xxx**

 **FanLurker: I'm happy to be back too! xxx**

 **Smiles180: Thank you so much! I love Zammie together, but I love when they're apart as well xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: Zach is just the BEST person. Zach and Cammie will survive...but will everyone else? xxx**

 **Gymnast1150: It was a cliche but who doesn't love a good old cliche? I too want to know about what the adults are going to do (next chapter will begin with a little flashback to the adults conversation after Cammie left the room). The kiss was magical as all of their kisses are...but will they have another one? I CAN NOT WAIT for you to start writing again! All is going well in my family but we're still keeping our fingers crossed. Sending love back to you and your family xxx**

 **Duchess12: Thank you so much! I have more stories planned, and it seems like I have more time to write them! Thank you again! I love seeing your reviews & running commentary on my stories. I'll defo check your story out! xxx**


	34. Shower, Sandwiches and Sleep

**Rachel POV**

'I'm sorry' Cammie paused on the steps. The tiny break in her voice hit me straight at the core bit I couldn't waver this time.

Cammie went upstairs and it was silent until we heard her door slam. I sighed, resting my head on the wall.

'I have no idea how to handle this' I muttered

'Sure you do' Abby began 'Do the same thing mom did when Leo Smith climbed through _your_ window'

'Who is Leo?' Joe asked

'It doesn't matter, and _that_ situation was different' I groaned, blocking the memory from my mind.

'Was it?' Abby leant closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes. 'Because I seem to remember walking in on you two snogging the face-off of each other'

'You remember wrong Abigail'

'Oh come on, lighten up a little! It's not as if she's using again' I glanced at Joe quickly, but Abby saw. 'She's using again?'

'We don't believe she is' Joe said 'She seems better, more….herself'

'But she's still not Cammie. She's still not _my_ Cammie'

'Rach…' Abby reached across and held my hand 'She lost Matthew. We all did. None of us have been the same since he died.'

I felt a wave of tears come, but I shook them away.

'I need some air' I grabbed my car keys & headed towards the door.

'I'll come with you' Joe followed.

'No, it's fine. I need to be on my own. I'm just going to drive around the block for a bit'

...

 **Cammie POV**

She didn't just drive around the block. She kept driving. She drove up the twisty woodland roads. She drove with tears in her eyes, blurring her vision. She took the bend in the road too fast and caused the car to roll down the hill a little. The car went into a tree with such force that she hit her head, knocking herself unconscious immediately.

'Cammie' I snap out of my thoughts as Abby entered the room. My mom was breathing through a tube. Well, the tube was doing the breathing for her. She had loads of scratches on her face and arms, a bruise was developing on her arm already. I was holding her hand, it was cold. Too cold.

'Do you want anything to eat or drink?'

'No, I'm fine' I turned back to my mom, not wanting to take my eyes off of her for a moment.

'Squirt, you need to rest'

'I'm fine' It had been three days since she crashed and there had been no improvement. I'd been by her bedside the whole time.

'Your friends came by the house this morning. They want to check that you're okay'

'Abby, I'm fine. I'm just worried about mom'

'She's a fighter, just like you' Abby planted a kiss on top of my head. 'Oh, honey. Not to sound crude, but you really smell. When was the last time you showered?'

'Um, I don't remember'

'Just as I suspected. Luckily, I already spoke to a nurse and there's a staff shower room that she said you can use'

'That's great, Abby but I don't have-' I turned to see Abby holding up a small wash bag with all the toiletries that I needed.

'I'm always prepared, Squirt' She winked. 'Now go, I'll stay here'

'Abby-' I whined.

'I'll come and grab you the moment something happens. I promise'

I turned back to my mom, I brought her hand to my lips.

'Please, please get better. I love you' I kissed her hand and left the room.

...

I let the water run down my face, feeling the hot little needles of water returning feeling back to my face.

I don't know how long I stayed in the shower, just allowing the water to numb everything. When I reemerged the corridors were busy. There seemed to be a hive of activity, but for me, everything was moving in slow motion.

'Cameron?' I turned to see Edward, standing in a suit with a white doctor's jacket over the top. He gave me a sympathetic smile. 'How are you holding up?'

'I'm fine, I think' I said.

'Your Aunt mentioned that you've barely eaten or slept'

'That's not important to me right now. I need to focus on my mom'

'That's all well and good, but if you don't rest, we'll have two Morgan family members in the hospital' I couldn't argue with him at all. He was telling the truth.

'How about we go to my office? You can sit down, have a bite to eat. You can even scream, cry, throw a chair, interrogate me or kill me. No one will ever know'

I smiled for the first time in days.

'Thanks. I'd like that'

Edward's office was bright and airy. It felt like a totally different space to the clinical feel of the hospital. It felt safe.

He went to his fridge and pulled out a couple of sandwiches, fruit and drinks, placing them on the small coffee table in front of me.

'Help yourself' He said

'You planned this' I stated. It wasn't a question, all of this seemed to be too good to be true. 'Who put you up to it? Abby? Joe?'

'Zach' He said 'He popped by your house this morning and Abigail told him that you haven't slept or eaten properly in a few days. He let me know immediately'

'Thank him from me please'. I felt a small weight lift off my shoulders as I took a bite of the sandwich. My friends are just amazing.

'Why don't you thank him yourself? You could always just give him a call'

I took another bite of my sandwich, hoping to change the subject.

'Have you spoken to any of your friends recently?'

'No. I just...I wouldn't know what to say to them'

We descended into silence whilst we both ate.

'I hope you don't mind me saying, but you've been having quite a difficult time recently, is that right?'

'Yeah' I dusted the crumbs off of my jeans 'You could say that'

'Have you spoken to anyone about it?'

'Like a therapist?' I could feel myself becoming defensive. I've had to prove to people before that I wasn't crazy and I most certainly don't want to do that again.

'Not quite' His tone was soft, sensing that I was building a wall around me. 'But talking to someone about all that you've been through, especially with what happened with your father might help. Have you talked about what happened with your father?'

'Not really. My...my mom and Abby tried to get me to talk to someone but I never felt good about it.'

'Why would you say that?'

'I don't know. I just think that he was my dad and I didn't like sharing my memories with someone whose only goal was to know if I was psycho or not'

'Would talking to myself be an option? Would you be open to that?'

'Maybe. I don't know' I checked the clock 'I should be getting back to my mom' I stood up and headed to the door.

'2103' He said

'2103?' I asked

'It's the combination to this room. There are blankets in the top draw of the cupboard & there's always food in the fridge. If you need a break or anything, just come in here'

'Thank you, Edward'

I closed the door behind me and headed back to my mom's room. What I didn't expect to see...was him.

 **Author's note: Hi everyone, I hope you all are doing well during this unpredictable time. Here is another chapter! Hopefully, the next one will be up soon. I'm just doing my Graduation Project at the moment so I'm surprisingly busier than I thought I would be. I'll see you all soon xxx**

 **Alecks454: Rachel hasn't died...yet...Sounds ominous, I know, but you never really know what will happen next xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you! And maybe...maybe I have killed her...maybe not...xxx**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: Poor Cammie indeed. What happens in the next few chapters will change Cammie's life forever...xxx**

 **Nicole aka The AnimeLover: Everything is not okay for the moment...but maybe it will be? xxx**

 **BritishBombshell007: My heart too! If and that's IF I decide to kill off Rachel, it will be an extremely hard decision. I mean, having her in the hospital was already a hard decision for me. Hey girly! I know, it has been wayyyy too long. Uni's tricky, my final year has been messed about by Miss Rona so we'll see what happens. I'm so bloody glad that I'm still writing, I've missed it, but I agree, these fanfics are slowly dying out, like I'm not getting any story notifications on the stories that I follow which is super sad but then again it has been 4 years since I've started and I know what everyone moves on. Hopefully not from me any time soon! xxx**

 **Duchess12: DON'T HIT SOMEONE! RACHEL ISN'T DEAD *yet* SO PLEASE DON'T HIT, ANYONE! I'm so excited for what I have planned but they're on the back burner for now. Just keep watching this space! Yes Covid-19 may let me write more but I've also got a grad project to do, so we'll see what happens. Love ya too xxx**

 **ILUVBTS: I hope Rachel is okay too! I know! 4 Years is crazy! I hadn't even realised that I'd missed the 4th Anniversary. Crazy! Thank you so much! I am actually writing for my Graduation which I'm super excited about. I've noticed that a lot of my protagonists have very similar traits to Cammie which is a nice little homage to all of these stories I've created. LYSMT xxx**

 **Smiles180: I know! 4 years have just FLOWN by. Poor Cammie, but she does what she does best. She hides. xxx**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! Hope you like this update! xxx**

 **Gymnast1150: I totally did! Cliffhangers are my trick. Girl, you should expect this by now! It might be a misdirect...it might not be...who knows (I do)...*evil laugh*. Cammie is just like me, caring all about food. Can't wait for you to upload too! xxx**


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